A/N: Happy 2016, my friends! I cannot believe we've crossed into a new year. I am going to spare you my typical ramblings as I am anxious to share the chapter that has been in the works (in my mind) for quite some time. Yep, it's my version of "Two Graves". Happy reading. :)

Chapter Twenty – Two

"Hush little baby, don't say a word. Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring turns brass, Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass. And if that looking glass gets broke..."

Emily startled awake with a slight gasp, her dream having become too vivid to sustain incoherency. She soon noticed the morning sunlight casting itself into the motel room as well as the muffled sounds of moving vehicles along the not so distant interstate. The mattress felt firm against her cheek where she had been planted for the last few hours after discarding the lumpy pillow, the top sheet being the only material covering her naked body. Now also noticing a draft at her back, the result of Daniel no longer sleeping beside her, Emily sat up while clutching the sheet to her chest. "Daniel?"

She was met with brief silence before hearing a key turning in the lock of the door, followed by Daniel appearing a moment later with two to-go cups of coffee in hand. "Morning," He greeted, pleased to see that she was awake and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Morning," Emily mumbled in return, gratefully taking the cup of coffee he was extending. "Thanks... How is it you always know exactly what I need?" Daniel only smiled as she took a long swallow, clearly still trying to fully awaken from her groggy state. "What time is it?"

"A little after seven."

Emily nodded, hastily taking another swig of coffee. "Okay, we better get going. I'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Hey," Daniel breathed, gently grabbing her wrist as she tried to exit the bed. Not wishing to be detained from her mission, Emily looked down at him expectantly, and was immediately softened by the tenderness reflecting in his eyes which was accompanied by the sensation of Daniel's thumb rubbing over her tattoo in sweet strokes. "What you said last night about it being up to you to finish this? ... You're wrong, Em. We're going to finish this together."

The elevator chimed upon reaching its destination: the top floor of what was soon to be LeMarchal Media's new headquarters. Appropriately disguised as a construction worker, Victoria entered the unfinished space with confident ease. Margaux was anxiously anticipating her arrival, and turned from the windows as she approached. "Did anyone recognize you?"

"Nobody batted an eye," Victoria glibly reported, removing her hard hat and the hood covering her raven locks. "And why would they? Victoria Grayon's dead."

Margaux embraced her in genuine relief. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Thanks to you."

"I told her to get you out of there before anyone found you," Margaux excused, clearly guilt stricken by the outcome of her damage control. "I never expected her to..."

"I know that," Victoria calmly assured. "What that woman did to Ben Hunter was horrific. It's a wonder she listened to my plea's to spare his life. Although, I'm not sure what good they did... Have there been any changes in his condition?"

"No," Margaux somberly replied. "He is still in a coma, I'm afraid."

"Well...now all we can hope is that no more blood will be shed. Right?" Victoria rationalized, briefly cupping Margaux's chin in comfort.

Still rattled by the circumstances, Margaux merely nodded and forced herself to focus on the task which remained. "Um... I've arranged it so that you can stay hidden here in our new headquarters until tomorrow when you'll board a private jet to Montpelliar." She reached for the manila envelope at arms length, handing Victoria her new passport.

Assessing it for a reflective moment, Victoria recalled how it was not the first time she had planned to start over, but her near escape with Charlotte almost three years prior now seemed like another life entirely. What struck her even more so though, was the person at the root of this present juncture. "This all started when Amanda Clarke changed her identity." Victoria tightened her lips, looking to her only trusted ally. "And now it will end with me changing mine."

"Ben would have come here from the morgue when he realized Mary Gaines' body was missing, but there's no sign he was here," Emily concluded not long after breaking into the modest home.

"Well, maybe my mother's henchman attacked him before he had a chance," Daniel deduced, following her down the hallway towards the master bedroom. "Who the hell was Mary Gaines, anyway?" He stopped at the doorway while Emily proceeded inside to carefully examine every inch of the room, and something soon caught her eye. Wedged in the frame of the mirror topping the dresser, was the image of a teenage version of Victoria standing beside what Emily presumed to be her mother.

"Oh, my God," She moaned in disgust, taking the photo from the crevice of the mirror frame and turning to Daniel.

He stepped forward, furrowing his brow. "What is it?"

"She was your grandmother, Daniel." Emily handed him the photo with a wince, waiting regretfully as he viewed the image for himself.

"Oh, my God," Daniel echoed, looking as though he might become physically ill and then slowly took a seat on the foot of the bed.

"Daniel... are you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm all right," He exhaled, processing. "She's just even more insane than I thought. She actually burned her own mother's corpse." Daniel scoffed at the absurdity, giving his head a shake.

Hating this particular truth they had discovered, Emily sympathetically stared down the bridge of her nose at him. For all the trauma she endured over the years, she had the saving grace of her father actually being a hero in his own right. Daniel on the other hand, was constantly forced to face his parents monstrous choices. This fact was often an oversight on Emily's part, not for lack of compassion towards him, but because she more commonly focused on Conrad and Victoria's heinous actions themselves and the consequences they deserved as a result.

Right now though, she only felt a dull void aching in the pit of her stomach as she watched Daniel muster indifference, a skill he had undoubtedly honed from her. The reverent silence was soon broken when Emily's phone began ringing in her pocket, and seeing that it was Nolan, she quickly answered it, selecting the speakerphone in the process. "Tell me you have something."

"What, other than your great escape trending on Twitter?" Nolan quipped on the other end, walking through his kitchen to the living room with a miniature bottle of sparkling water in hand.

Emily closed her eyes, sighing. "I didn't think they would admit to losing me so quickly." She looked at Daniel, who rose from his seat in response and tucked the photograph in the back pocket of his jeans, seeming to have completely brushed off their latest revelation to focus on the bigger matter at hand. "We gotta move," Emily added in haste.

"You're not going anywhere, Miss America's Most Wanted!" Nolan chided through the phone. "Look, I can't get you out if you get arrested again – so just sit tight."

Daniel had moved back down the hallway by now, retracing their steps in the event they might have missed something – anything. It was then he detected a faint fragrance in the air, so mild he had not even noticed it previously. It smelled of chemicals with a touch of lemon. Crouching down, Daniel studied the floor beneath his feet, and witnessing his inspection, Emily suddenly became more interested in it than what Nolan had to say at the moment.

"I'll talk to you later," She absently mumbled, disconnecting the call to crouch beside Daniel. "What is it?"

"It looks like the floor was just cleaned, but only in this area," Daniel observed, his eyes naturally trailing along the baseboards, catching a glimpse of what they had unknowingly come to find. "What's that look like to you?"

Emily's eyes followed his, and saw it then as well. Contained in the tiny gap between the baseboard and the floor, was a drop of red liquid which had browned over the course of the lapsed hours. "Give me that picture," Emily requested, extending her hand. Daniel immediately complied, and watched as she slid it under the baseboard, staining the edge with what they already suspected was blood. Holding it up, Emily drew a surmising breath at the confirmation. "Ben wasn't attacked at home. It happened here."

"Where have you been?" Margaux bellowed, crossing the open room when Victoria re – appeared, disassembling yet another disguise.

Deflated, Victoria refused eye contact, but only continued to glide in simultaneous strides with Margaux now at her side. "Don't worry, no one saw me – not even you."

"You were at your own funeral?" Margaux incredulously questioned, becoming further agitated. "I'm trying to protect you! Why must you insist on making it so difficult?"

Victoria halted, repentantly pivoting towards her. "I'm sorry... but I wanted to see my children for one last time. But apparently, my firstborn was the only one to share the same desire."

Compelled to sympathy, Margaux lovingly brushed Victoria's arm with a stroke of her hand. "You know Daniel and Charlotte are of the belief you're still alive."

"Yes, but Patrick is not. He said beautiful words about me today, and I cannot allow my son to languish in unnecessary mourning," Victoria resolved, removing her leather gloves. "Bring him to me. I have to tell him the truth."

Margaux's eyes widened. "You're putting our lives in the hands of man we do not know if we can trust."

There would be no convincing Victoria otherwise though. To her, Patrick was the only glimmer of hope in her future. "You heard his eulogy. Patrick proved today that he is more devoted to me than ever."

"Patrick," Victoria fawned, hugging him in pure elation less than an hour later.

Stunned, he remained stiff in his arms, slowly pulling back to take in the sight of his would be deceased mother again. "So Daniel and Nolan were right," Patrick digested, swallowing. "You really faked your own death?"

Victoria linked her arm in his, guiding him further into the office space. "Patrick, I'm so sorry to have kept you in the dark... but I couldn't risk implicating you in case something had gone awry." She stopped, rotating to stand squarely in front of him again. "But after hearing you today, I realized the error of my ways and had to rectify the situation at once."

"You were at the funeral today?" Patrick clarified, somewhat unsettled by the idea.

"Yes. And you, my son, are the only person aside from Margaux, to always stand by me." Victoria took hold of his hands. "Patrick, I'm going to disappear with a new identity, and it is my hope... that you will accompany me."

Before he could reply, Margaux was storming towards them with another news development. "Your journey is in enough jeopardy as it is!" She warned, handing over her phone with the breaking news reflecting on its screen. "Victoria... Emily is coming for us... She and Daniel both are."

Victoria only had to read the headline of "Amanda Clarke's Prison Break" to understand Margaux's outburst. "Well, I knew this wasn't over," Victoria acknowledged, her expression grim. "But there's one course of action we can take."

Margaux paused, deducing the inference and immediately began shaking her head. "No. No, it's out of the question. I won't be a part of any more bloodshed." Patrick narrowed his eyes at their exchange, silently drawing his own conclusions while Victoria forged ahead with her seemingly morbid plight.

"Margaux, I never wanted Amanda Clarke dead. I want her to be in solitary confinement for the rest of her life. Your contact can capture and put her there." Victoria inched closer, her eyes darkening with fervency. "But you must make it abundantly clear to her that Daniel is to be protected. If she harms him in any way, I will see to it that she never lives another day."

Margaux considered the request with caution, but soon decided they had come too far to turn back now. And so, she initiated what she promised herself would be the final phone call to her deadly source.

"I say we make a run for it," Emily suggested, her tone restless as she stared out the front window of the living room, careful to keep her body mostly concealed from the outside by the curtain sheers. They could not afford the remote possibility of being seen, especially since the news of her break from prison was now public knowledge.

Daniel calmly approached her, surprisingly less anxious than she. "Nolan said to sit tight, so that's what we're gonna do."

Though Emily was glad Daniel had grown to trust and respect Nolan over the recent months, her impatience far superseded any appreciation. "We're not safe here, Daniel," Emily insisted under her breath, cutting her eyes over her shoulder at him.

Stopping only inches from her, Daniel's wrapped his arms around Emily from behind. "You're safe," He quietly promised, dropping his chin to the curvature of her shoulder. "Not that you need protecting, but I'm here... and I'd sooner die than let anything happen to you."

Molding her body to his, Emily closed her eyes in somber reflection. "That's what worries me," She whispered while flashes of Daniel's previous heroism filled her head. "You shouldn't be here with me now, Daniel. I don't want you caught in the crossfires again."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Emily sighed, turning to face him. "I appreciate what you said earlier, but... this is mine to finish."

"No way. You may have started out alone, but you're not alone now." Daniel braced her head with his hands, his eyes fervid. "I'm not leaving you."

Emily breathed a short laugh, a smile sweeping sadly across her lips. "And you say I'm stubborn."

Daniel smirked. "I learned from the best."

Emily lifted her hands to his, lowering and tucking them in her own. "You know... when I started all of this... I didn't know if someone were going to figure out what I was doing... if... I would fail... if the whole thing would fall apart." She pursed her lips into another smile, pausing thoughtfully. "Do you remember the conversation we had on the yacht the day we met – how you made me laugh at your jokes?"

Daniel grinned a bit at the memory. "I didn't even know half of what I was saying at the time," He confessed with an admiring glint. "I think I would have said anything to keep you with me longer."

Emily bit her lower lip at the sentiment, remembering their exchange fondly. "I sat there watching you... the way you smiled... the way it lit up your entire face... and suddenly -" Her smile naturally faded into an expression of quiet certainty. "- I felt like...everything was going to be okay. Not because... things were going according to plan... but because of you... because of your warmth." Touched by her sincerity, Daniel's brow narrowed slightly as Emily drew a breath. "I feel that same warmth so strongly now. It never stops." Emily's eyes danced between his as she whispered, "You never stop."

Daniel raised his shoulders into a mild shrug. "It's because I love you so much." His explanation sounded more like a promise than a statement when whispered in such fervency.

Emily looked down at this, feeling undeserving as she often did, of his adoration. "I'll never understand why."

"Because nothing makes sense without you, Em," Daniel replied without hesitation, catching her gaze again. "I'd spent my whole life searching for something... and then I saw you, and... I don't know, it was like... the world became clear for the first time." There was that familiar warmth again, the one Daniel reserved especially for her. Soaking it in, Emily tilted her head to the side as he brought a loving hand to her cheek, marveling at everything she was, everything he felt and how it had grown stronger each day.

"You fascinate me," Daniel breathed in earnest. "You challenge me... You are the most complex... and terrifyingly brilliant person I have ever met." Emily shut her eyes, releasing a singular laugh through her smile, and Daniel smiled as well, waiting for her eyes to open to his again. When they did, he grew serious once more. "Don't you see? There could never be anyone else."

Not even knowing where to begin with a proper response that would convey her feelings, Emily expressed her appreciation by kissing Daniel instead. Her lips held a figurative sweetness as they parted his, but her tongue expressed the desperation she felt in her current state of uncontrolled circumstances. Daniel sensed and matched both receptively, moaning at their contact and automatically enveloping Emily in his arms.

Gingerly ending the kiss a moment later, Emily clung to Daniel afterward, looking absently over his shoulder as he held her close. Thinking of how cherished she felt in his embrace, she wondered if this nightmare would truly ever end so that they could live in peace with their daughter. But as her eyes fell on the narrow bathroom across the room, a new thought occurred to Emily, causing Ben Hunter's voice to replay in her head.

"The remains were too burnt for DNA testing, so all we've had to go on were the teeth we recovered... but the coroner checked her dental records. It's definitely Victoria Grayson."

Feeling her body grow tense in his arms, Daniel slowly retracted. "What is it?" He watched Emily curiously as she crossed the room and entered the bathroom to explore its drawers and cabinets. "Em?" He prodded when she did not reply.

"The dental records, Daniel... that's what we should be going after," She answered as he reached the doorway. "We know Victoria would have had to switch them, right?" Opening a final drawer, she found what she was seeking – a used toothbrush with a dentistry ID etched on it. Emily held it up proudly, looking over at him in smug satisfaction. "And now we know where to look."

"I've been looking into Margaux's finances, and she recently wired a lot of money into someone's encrypted account in the Cayman's," Nolan reported, glancing up at David from where he sat perched on the couch working on his laptop.

"Maybe that's for Victoria," David assumed. "It could lead us right to her."

"I thought so too, but the account's been open for years, receiving large sums from all over the globe. I think I may have figured out who it belongs to." Nolan set his laptop on the coffee table for better viewing as David took a seat beside him. "The FBI have been trying to pin down a mercenary who calls herself "White Gold". Most people don't even believe she exists, but -" He stopped short at the sound of an account activity alert coming from his laptop. "Wait – hang on." Clicking a few keys, Nolan confirmed his suspicion and sighed. "David, Margaux just cut the ghost assassin another check."

David's eyes darted back to Nolan, each reaching the same conclusion as to who her next target would be. "We have to warn Amanda and Daniel, then."

"I just tried calling both of them right before you got here, but I couldn't reach them." Nolan ran a flustered hand through his hair.

"Where were they the last you talked with them?"

"At Mary Gaines' house. I told them to stay put."

David gave a nod, rising. "Have the chopper fired up," He instructed, making strides towards the front door. "I'm going over there. You keeping call them."

The minutes seemed to crawl as Nolan desperately tried to reach Emily and Daniel without success, and when she finally returned his call, he answered it in a rushed manner, feeling as though he might jump out of his skin. "Ems, where have you been? I've been trying to reach you."

"Sorry, we must not have had good reception in the medical building," She calmly replied through the SUV's bluetooth system, unaware of the impending danger and more concerned with their latest discovery. "Nolan, we got it."

Noting the hint of victory in her voice, Nolan temporarily derailed from his pressing news. "Got what, Ems?"

"Evidence that Victoria switched the bodies."

"That's great, but -"

"I found her mother's original dental records. It's all here - "

"Emily!" Nolan forcefully interjected, silencing her. "Look, you're in danger. Margaux paid a hit woman to take out Ben, and you are next. That's why I told you to stay at the house. You're safe there."

Emily glanced at Daniel in the driver's seat, who briefly averted his eyes from the road to return her wary gaze. "No, we're not. Ben was attacked there. If the assassin finds out, she'll retrace her steps."

"Oh my God," Nolan rubbed his head, his heart rate escalating. "Ems... your dad went there to find you."

"What?" Emily gasped, panicked at the thought. "We're going back over there."

"No, don't go back there!" Nolan warned, not knowing that Daniel had already merged into the left lane in order to make a U-turn at the next light. "Look, I'm... I'm sending the police right now," He stammered. "Ems, you go back there and you're either caught or dead."

Both grieved, Nolan placed a consoling hand on Kara's shoulder as they stood in the hospital room over David's unconscious body, the latest victim of the presumed, White Gold. They were immediately interrupted by the entrance of two nurses donned in scrubs which they found peculiar considering David's attending nurse had recently left the room.

"Was there something else?" Nolan inquired, slightly annoyed by the intrusion, but then realized the nurses were actually Daniel and Emily in disguise. "Ems, what are you two doing here?" Nolan shrieked in a hushed whisper when she lowered her mask. "There are cops crawling all over this place."

"I don't care, Nolan," Emily glossed, hovering over her father with worry. "By the time we got back to Mary Gaines' house, they were loading him in the ambulance. I had to see him."

"Kara, who's watching Hope?" Daniel quietly asked of the woman at his side.

Pre – occupied with her own concern, Kara absently chewed on her thumb-nail while resting her elbow against her folded arm. "Uh... Charlotte stayed back at the house with her," She managed to reply, barely looking at her son in-law before returning to David and Emily.

"Dad, please don't leave me," Emily whispered, kissing her father's cheek as tears fell down her own. "I need you." Of course, David was unresponsive to her plea, and as Emily looked down at his bruised face, she was reminded of the night he was taken from her when she was a child. The anger for their unjust separation she had so longed harbored now surged, re – igniting her desire for vengeance. "I'm not going to put Victoria in prison. I'm going to put her in the ground," Emily resolved, turning defiantly to her onlookers.

"Em -" Daniel began, stepping forward as she lifted a finger of warning.

"Daniel, I understand if you can't go along with this." She sighed, determination rising in her eyes. "But don't you dare try to stop me."

"Emily, you cannot do this," Daniel admonished, wary of the coldness suddenly consuming her entire countenance. "If you go after my mother, you will win... and then they really will put you away forever," He reasoned, pressing his hands together for emphasis. "Please... please, think about you're doing. We have a little girl at home who needs you."

Emily looked away, ducking her chin in shame at the fact she had not considered her daughter's well – being amidst her rage. With a clenched jaw, she paused to calm herself. "You're right," Emily eventually mumbled, remorse filling her eyes when they returned to Daniel's. Not only did she feel guilty for not thinking of Hope, Emily recognized Daniel had also just endured her vow to kill his own mother. There seemed to be no judgment on his part for this, but rather deep concern. Nevertheless, she instantly regretted giving such little regard to his feelings and basically asking him to endorse her plan. Emily wet her lips with a raised brow. "I'm sorry."

Meanwhile, Nolan released a baited breath. Though he was in agreement a death sentence seemed the only suitable punishment for Victoria, he was relieved Daniel had managed to convince Emily otherwise. Taking his eyes off the couple, he looked over at David lying in the hospital bed, the man he loved as if he were his own father.

"I'm gonna take care of the bitch Margaux paid to do this," Nolan muttered, shedding tears of his own. Without question, Victoria's ultimate demise belonged to Emily, but Margaux was another story. Nolan was hurt by her prior betrayal, but it paled in comparison to the line she had crossed this time, and he was not willing to remain idol any longer.

"Nolan, you can't," Emily begged, instantly alarmed by the idea. "She's dangerous."

"So am I," Nolan stated with conviction. "I trained for four years with the most dangerous sensei I know. I can handle her."

"We still have to find my mother," Daniel reminded, breaking the best friend's resolute non-verbal exchange. "We don't know where she's hiding."

"I do," Patrick announced to everyone's surprise, appearing from behind the privacy curtain. "Margaux has her hidden in the new LeMarchal Media headquarters. I just came from there." He locked eyes with Nolan as if to silently say, I should have listened to you.

Suddenly noticing someone was missing from the room, Emily furrowed her brow. "Wait – where's my mom?"

Victoria heard the elevator chime, signaling what she assumed was the return of Patrick. But as she spun on her silver heels, she was met with the face of another, and instantly knew she had misjudged her firstborn's loyalty. The dark blond stopped her slow strides a few feet away, her expression sunken with hatred. "Hello, Victoria."

"Kara," Victoria breathed, smiling sardonically at the irony as Kara raised the gun she held in her hand. However, Victoria remained eerily stoic, almost as though she was looking forward to the potentially fatal showdown. "Well...here we are again – you pointing a gun... except Conrad has already met his demise, so you'll have to settle for just me this time."

Unamused by the cheeky reference to the past, Kara stiffened her arm. "The difference is... last time, I wasn't going to pull the trigger. But this time... I assure you, that is exactly what I'm going to do."

"Before you fire, please know this assassination will be filmed for the whole world to see... so you'll be going away for good once you pull that trigger." Victoria lifted her finger upwards, her eyes scanning the ceiling corners. "I installed these cameras when I heard your daughter had escaped... I expected her to be the one to find her way here, not you."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," Kara flatly replied. "But my daughter has already paid the price too many times... and so has David. He may die because of you."

"What?" Victoria mumbled, genuinely disturbed by the prospect. Puzzled, she shook her head. "I don't understand."

"David intercepted the hit – woman you hired to take out Amanda."

"I never meant for David to get hurt," Victoria insisted. It was true, but it really did not matter, not after everything that had happened all these years. Even Victoria knew this, and decided to seize the opportunity to divert her opponent. "Kara, I loved him."

"Shut up!" Kara yelled as Victoria capitalized on her slight distraction, ducking and lunging at her. The sudden impact knocked Kara backwards before she could pull the trigger, and though she recovered quickly, the momentary lapse was enough time for Victoria to draw her own gun. Cleverly hidden in the thigh holster under her white dress, the antiqued pistol had been a wedding present from Conrad on the day of their second nuptials, and quite possibly, the only positive thing he had ever given her aside from Daniel.

But even finding a barrel pointed in her own direction was not enough to dissuade Kara from her mission. Raising her arm once more, she curled her finger around the trigger. "You have messed with my family for the last time."

"And you -" Victoria calmly returned, mirroring her motion. " - have messed with the wrong person again. Sealing my fate will undoubtedly seal your own."

Kara thought of her loved ones she would be leaving behind, and it saddened her to think of how little time they had spent together as a family. But it was because of those same people that she was willing to proceed, come what may. "It is a sacrifice I am willing to make."

"Well, then...are you ready now?" Victoria ominously questioned, her eyes glassy with acceptance of her tragic fate.

"More than you know," Kara assured, finding immense satisfaction in the fact she would be eliminating the one before her once and for all. "Goodbye, Victoria."

Daniel and Emily heard two simultaneous shots ring out as the elevator doors opened to the construction zone of LeMarchal Media's headquarters. Sharing a startled glance, they bolted in the direction of the gunfire, coming head on to the heaps of their mothers on the floor. "Oh my, God -" Emily breathed, running and dropping to Kara's side while Daniel did the same with Victoria. "Mom... Mom, can you hear me?" Emily urgently called, checking her weakened pulse.

Kara seemed dazed as the blood pooled around her. "Amanda -"

"Why did you do this?" Emily's brow knitted together in anguish, taking her mother's hand.

"To save you."

"Mom, I'm going to get you some help -" Daniel assured, quickly removing his jacket and pressing it to Victoria's wounded abdomen while retrieving his cellular with his free hand.

"Don't bother, Daniel," Victoria croaked, covering his hand with her own. She fondly looked up at him, admiring her handsome son for a final time. Despite her heartbreak, she was secretly proud of the man he had become. "It's over."

Troubled, Daniel's face contorted into a strained expression. For all the animosity he felt towards his mother, he did not want this. "Mom!" Emily suddenly cried out in the background, jolting him.

Daniel looked over his shoulder in response to find Emily folding over Kara's lifeless body while tears wracked her own. "Em?" Hearing his sympathetic voice, she lifted her head and cast her gaze towards him. Wiping her tear – stained cheeks, her eyes fell upon the still breathing Victoria with disdain. Blinded by anger, Emily swiftly crawled to them and nearly pushed Daniel out of the way as though she could not see him. Deciding against intervening, he moved further to the side to call the paramedics Victoria said she did not need.

"This is your fault, Victoria," Emily seethed, glowering down at her. "You have tried to take everything from me."

Victoria's eyes rolled sourly upwards at her young adversary. "It is you... who has taken... everything... from me."

"You deserve this." Emily gritted her teeth, hovering. "I believed that the people who wronged my family deserved to suffer in agony rather than paying with their lives, but for you, Victoria... death... is the only proper recompense."

With a pounding heart, Daniel ended his phone call and shifted back to his mother and wife. They were staring at each other, seemingly oblivious to his presence. It was a truly climatic moment as their long waged war reached its dramatic conclusion. A smug sneer trailed across Victoria's lips directed solely at Emily. "I died long before you were born. This... is just a formality." With that, her head rolled limply to the side into unconsciousness.

"Is she?" Daniel began, but was unable to finish. Somewhat shocked herself, Emily slowly rose to her feet and then turned around to face him with empty eyes. "Emily?" Tentatively placing his hands to her arms, Daniel guided her a few feet away. "The paramedics are on their way."

This seemed to get her attention, causing her eyes to flicker to his. "What for?" She solemnly whispered in defeat. "They're gone." Daniel parted his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the startling clap of one final gunshot resounding throughout the silent square footage of office space. He reflexively flinched as Emily gasped from being struck in the back by the intended bullet, its force jarring her forward.

Daniel caught her instinctively, panicking at the realization of what had just occurred. "No!" He cried as Emily fell limp in his arms, and he simultaneously lowered their bodies to the floor while cutting his eyes in Victoria's direction. With a blank stare, she dropped the smoking gun with a thud, having used her final ounce of strength to pull the trigger. "What have you done?!" Daniel shouted in fury, but then discovered his mother had already breathed her last and passed.

"Daniel," Emily choked, gasping for breaths of her own as he cradled her. The pain felt sharper this time, but her coherency was rapidly waning. Perhaps, it was because she felt peaceful in Daniel's arms. Though hazy, she sensed them wrapped protectively around her as he applied pressure to her wound with his palm in attempt to contain the excessive bleeding. Emily could feel that too – the blood spilling forth between his fingers.

"Em, stay with me," Daniel begged with tears welling in his eyes as she clearly struggled to keep her's open. "Stay with me, baby... Please, stay with me. Don't leave me. Please, don't leave me," He desperately whispered, holding her closer. "Help's coming... just hang on."

"Daniel," Emily repeated, forcing herself to focus on his beautiful face rather than the menacing darkness. "I love you, Daniel," She exhaled, gripping her fingers tightly around the edge of his shirt.

Daniel drew a sharp breath, allowing the tears to flow down his cheeks. "I love you, too." This could not be the way it was going to end for them. He refused to accept that it was. They had both survived so much to reach this point. "Em, listen to me...you have to fight, okay? Don't let my mother win."

The thought of surrendering was almost unbearable, but Emily had already resigned herself to imminent mortality. "You've -" Emily smiled wistfully, her breathing labored. "You've made me so happy." She briefly shut her eyes, swallowing the moans of pain which threatened to emit from her throat.

"You've made me so happy too." Daniel felt his own throat constrict at the bittersweet beauty of her words. He had waited so long for Emily to return his love without hindrance. And now she did, and she was slipping away from him. Gently, he pressed his shaking lips to hers for what he feared could be the last time.

When he hesitantly retracted, Emily was looking at him again with fresh tears in her eyes. "Promise me..." She whispered through shallow breaths. Sensing she was fading, Daniel pressed his palm harder against her wound, worried about the significant blood loss she was sustaining. To his relief, sirens were swelling in the distance as the paramedics approached the building. Emily heard them too, but the darkness was closer now, faster and looming. Her eyes fluttered, but she forced them open once more. "Promise me... that when Hope's old enough...you'll tell her that I loved her... infinity... times infinity."

Another A/N: So that concludes "Two Graves", folks! I hope you enjoyed it and found it to be a satisfying tweaking of our beloved show's conclusion. However, this is NOT the end for 'Beyond the Elevator' as there will be at least one more chapter, if not two. (Yes, I still have more story I want to tell. :)) I tried my best to include some good Demily feels with elements from the actual show sprinkled throughout and some new twists added. Did you like the Victoria/Kara showdown? I hope so. I enjoyed picturing it, and in truth, have been planning it for a very long time. I know I ended the chapter as a bit of a cliffhanger, but before you grow too concerned about our heroine's fate, (and since I know you all can certainly count), just remember that Victoria and Kara obviously equaled two deaths... hence the title. :)

Thank you so much for you continued support through feedback, private messages, favorites and follows! You have truly blessed me with them. And if you would please be so kind as to let me know your thoughts on this installment, I would greatly appreciate it as always.

Much love,

Only Hope -7 xoxo