Well, this is it. I'm extremely happy and more than a little bit sad to say that yes, this is the epilogue of Merely a Luxury. So right here, right now, I'd like to thank every single one of you gorgeous people who have read this far. Everyone from the amazing ones who review every single chapter (you know who you are) to the beloved silent readers... I'd love to hear what you think, even as a final review about the whole fic, but you're amazing just for sticking with me and Melissa and Valentine (who is SADLYYYYY not my own) all this time. And the very most thanks go to my FRICKING AMAZING IDJFSKFNKSDING BETA ELLESS for grammatical error correcting, awesome side comments, and generally being an epic person. Read on, but before you get TOO sad, wait until the annoucement at the end.

Epilogue: Girlfrienemy

"That was unpleasantly uneventful," Melissa commented as she passed through the Dean's office door that Valentine was holding open for her. She threw him a semi-irate smirk. "We didn't even get to see the Headmaster. I wonder what you'd have to do to actually get sent to his dungeon?"

He set his pace to match hers as they walked the length of the short, closed hall leading out into the main office area. "You show up to Living Sciences fifteen minutes late and entirely covered in blood."

"Ah." She winced, remembering the bright crimson décor he sported that afternoon all too well. "But you said he went easy on you, right?"

"Yes. Wouldn't want to upset the Morgenstern family," he replied, batting her arm lightly when she muttered something that rhymed with "rompous crass." "It seemed like the Dean was more upset over your clothing choice than the fact that we fought without adult supervision. Luckily, Logan didn't realize my blade was the real thing."

"Yeah." She leaned against the wall, looking ten times more relaxed than the pounding of her heart told she was. Before she could debate saying it, the question was out of her mouth. "What was the whole Zorro-act about? I hate to break it to you, Mr. Perfect Morgenstern, but you could've very well killed me."

The change of mood was tangible, the corners of Valentine's mouth falling from a smile to a straight line as a shadow fell over his face. When Melissa moved to the temporarily vacant front desk to grab a pen and sign herself back into class, he brushed her hand away with a soft touch and penned both of their names into the roster himself. Melissa was too surprised to stop him.

His voice was a whisper when he finally answered. "I know. It was one of the more idiotic things I've done in my life, and I can promise you I'll spend the rest of our time at this school making it up to you."

Melissa stepped towards the middle of the grand hall just for something to do. "What do you mean?"

"I –" he ceased to speak when footsteps were heard from the front doors. Aribelle was approaching, wearing black ballet flats that clicked on the mosaic-tiled granite floor and a grin that would have put the Cheshire Cat to shame.

Her hair shone golden in the slanted sunlight coming in rays from the windows high above. "Sorry to crash the lover's party, but I'm just inquiring – are there any slight shifts in Academy relationship statuses that I should know about?"

"Nuh-uh," Melissa chuckled before Valentine had a chance to answer. "Please don't tell me Ms. Logan lets students out of class to ask stupid questions."

Aribelle held a sheet of paper up in front of her body like an iron shield. "I'm taking the attendance records to the office! It's a wonder she was even able to take attendance, with all the class in such a kerfuffle."

"Ooh, lovely. Does everyone think I'm a horrid slut now?" Melissa's eyes were lit up in emerald glee.

"Not really. The class's female population may be plotting your demise at this very moment, but other than that it's pretty calm." Melissa beamed. "But, you know, if you want to escape those nasty rumours, you might want to make it official." Aribelle's brown eyes darted to Valentine, who was rolling up his shirtsleeves with unusually fidgety fingers. "Are you positive? I know our friend here is can be tight-lipped."

"You heard her answer," he replied mildly.

Aribelle took a step in the huge mahogany desk's direction. "Sure, whatever. Don't indulge my inner romantic. At each other's throats one minute, passionately embracing the next – so Jane Austen." She noticed both Melissa and the returning secretary giving her the evil eye and grimaced. "Then be that way. I'm off!"

Melissa looked after her friend's figure, leaning up against the desk that rose to her diaphragm and conversing with the secretary in polite tones. She was fairly sure Aribelle had just given her blessing.

"So, what were you going to say? Now that we have a free block, I think we should make use of it. Trash some books in the library, start a food fight, get up to some general mischief?"

Valentine eyed her with faint amusement. "Thank you for the suggestions of what I can spend my free block doing. You, Miss Ryder, are going back to class."

She made a noise of disbelief. "Right. You're pretty stupid for a relatively smart guy."

"I have been attending the Academy for…hmm," he mimed counting on two hands, "Nine years now? You have been coming for a grand total of two weeks. If anyone needs combat practice, it's the girl in front of me."

Melissa stepped closer to him, bringing their faces a mere heated inch apart. The tension that bridged the gap was palpable. "Make me."

His breath of laughter tickled her face with warm fingertips. "Where have I heard that before?" he murmured before stepping away and taking her arm in a grasp nothing like his previous ones. "You win. This time. I'll show you a place I think you'll enjoy."

Valentine led her down a side hall and through a part of the Academy she'd never visited before. She was only able to tell the difference by watching the wall's décor morphing from its usual gilded brown and gold to a deep blue and silver paneling. Only when they emerged into a tiny, overgrown courtyard lit with sunlight did he let her forearm out of his grasp.

Melissa walked dazedly over to a concrete bench surrounded by a bush of blush-pink carnations and sat, the seat telling its age by the many cracks that decorated it. The delicate beauty of the ancient courtyard was far from lost on her.

She looked up from the stunning array of flora when Valentine took a seat beside her – close, but not presumptuously so, Melissa noticed with an inward laugh.

Content with the view, she waited for him to start speaking. It only took a moment for him to do so.

"I was going to say something before Aribelle came along."

"Yes, that's usually what people intend to do when they open their mouth and make noise. Not everyone, though. Unfortunately."

He threw her an exasperated look of endearment. "You're making me rethink my question."

Melissa fought a look of astonishment – if she wasn't mistaken, it appeared as if Valentine was hesitant. Unsure. Her hand touched his larger one, already battle-worn at sixteen, acting on a sudden impulse that left no room for thought. A soft chuckle escaped her lips at the realization that she had pronounced him an extreme annoyance and asshole just two weeks ago.

"Come on, spit it out."

Any composure Valentine had lost was gained a moment later. "We just kissed, right now. In front of the whole class."

"Yeah, I noticed." She had more than noticed.

He laughed. "Good, I didn't think I was that horrid of kisser. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to make it official, like our mutual friend implied. Be in a relationship. For lack of better words, go out with me. This is horrible wording, but I have a feeling that, if addressed as my girlfriend without previous consent, you'd kick my ass."

This question had run through Melissa's mind along with a thousand others, but that didn't stop her heart from doubling its tempo when she heard it said out loud. Feminine pride caused her to look away and hide the grin that was spreading across her face. The idea that a guy like Valentine would even express interest in her was downright laughable at best to her, but it didn't stop her from inhaling deeply and glancing back at him. His black eyes almost swallowed her whole.

"The nice answer or the true one?"

His brow creased in confusion. "True one, please."

"Nope."

His eyes widened in an astonishment that caused Melissa mirth and heartache in equal parts. He really did care for her – she saw that now, in his eyes and his face and his posture – and he was experienced in giving negative answers to girls' propositions, but he never imagined he'd ever be on the receiving end. Now, it could be excruciatingly easy to stand up, walk away, and never have a good reason to interact with him again, exactly like she was hoping to do half an hour ago.

But, he was already up. While she had been debating, the mask had slipped back into place. "I guess that's that, then. You've made your point clear many times. I've mistaken other actions for affection. I'm sorry," Valentine said icily, cordially, making to walk out of the courtyard the same way they entered.

But Melissa knew now that if she let him walk away now, she'd kick her own ass. She sprinted in front of him in a matter of seconds, a physical need for him to understand burning in her like wildfire.

"I enrolled in the Academy for a reason," she started, tripping over her words in a way she'd never known before. "I want a Shadowhunter's education, and I only have a year and a half to get it. I need to concentrate, and you know that's hard for me. And," she breathed a shaky laugh, "I've never had a boyfriend before. And I know you of all people would be a distraction." Her lips curled into a desperate grin. "Probably the biggest distraction of my life. So, let me rephrase this. I want to go out with you, I just…can't. Not right now."

An eyebrow broke out of the mask, rising up in a way Melissa had always been jealous of. "You've never had a boyfriend before?"

She scoffed. "Trust you to only pick up that part of my speech. Yes, it's merely a luxury I couldn't afford at the time, with dancing and such. And still can't afford, until I get more of this demon-hunting 101 under my belt."

"You're saying right now. How do I know you're not planning on double crossing me? Going back on your word?" His eyes danced with an amusement that seemed private; for she was sure she had never witnessed him showing outward mirth to this degree around any other.

"You do me an injustice. Here, I'll give you a token of good faith." And she closed the gap between their bodies and pressed her lips to his, softly, twining her arms around his neck in a display of vulnerability that felt exceedingly foreign to her. Though, if everything went along with her plans, she knew she'd have time to get used to it.

When they broke apart, Valentine was grinning. His face was all she could see: dark eyes offset by fair skin, strong jaw line and hair set on fire by the sun, perfectly centered above them, as he whispered "I'm going to hold you to that."

Fin

Now I'm sure that there's a few people out there swearing their heads off at me (at least I hope so.) Even though I love reader involvement... my lovely beta "suggested" I should say this.

"Merely a Luxury" is "merely" (ha...) a PREQUEL fic to another, MUCH longer affair that will be named "Morning Star." It will start at rouhly the same time this just ended and continue though to the end of the City of Glass. Already the first three chapters are fully written. I am going to Italy for three weeks the day after tomorrow so I won't be posting any of it until then (July 31st.) But stay tuned!

And with that, I cut off any further ramblings and say goodbye. For now. :]