"Charlie, Wesley!" Hogan hollered. "It's time!"

"Are you sure there isn't anything I can say to make you all stay?" I asked as the four of us moved to the front door. I hated seeing them leave so soon, it was most likely that I'd never see them again in this lifetime. "Will I ever see you guys again?"

Hogan scooped me up into his arms hugging me tight. He held me as if he wasn't quite ready to let me go. I held onto him tight feeling the exact same way. He finally set me down. My feet touched the ground.

"Maybe someday," Gabriela answered. She and I hugged as well.

"I'm sure I can talk Hogan into coming to see you guys," said Charlie coming down the stairs with a bag over his shoulder. As he approached us, he clapped a hand on Daniel's back. "Take care of her for me. If she gives you any trouble just ask her about the Elvis concert."

"Charlie!" I said half amused half exasperated. I moved forward to hug him regardless. "I'll miss you, brother."

"I'll miss you too, Luce." He ruffled my hair only to bother me. I chuckled and shoved him toward the others. Wesley was the last to come down the stairs. I waited for him at the bottom. I hated that I had yet to talk to him privately. I felt a little guilty for scolding him earlier.

"Will you miss me?" I asked as he reached the bottom.

"Of course, I will," Wesley said with a slight smile.

I smiled a little. "Stay out of trouble, alright?" I hugged him briefly I took a chance and kissed his cheek. He looked pleased for a moment. Daniel being his jealous self pulled me back to him his arms around me eying Wesley wickedly.

"I'm glad you guys came, I really am," I said as the four of them marched out the front door. They all looked as upset as I felt. There was a last round of good byes before they all moved into their individual cars: Hogan and Charlie in the truck whilst Gabriela and Wesley jumped in the car behind them.

Daniel and I watched them drive out of the property. We stood near the door as he wrapped his arms around me. He rubbed my back comfortingly. I was upset that they were gone but I was lucky to be in Daniel's arms. I watched the car disappear into the distance. I sighed letting the thought of only being Daniel and I sink in.

"What are you thinking about?" Daniel asked giving me a squeeze.

"I'm thinking about giving you this place," I said looking up at him. I looked back the empty road.

"What? Why would you want to do that?" he asked gently making me look up at him again. "Just sell it or something. I don't want to have it if you don't."

I smiled a little turning to him fully. "No," I said amused. "I want you to have it as an investment. You can gather enough money with so many tenants, I'm sure you'd like that. All the paper work is ready, you just need to sign it."

"You're always looking out for me."

"It's my obligation; I will always look after you."

That earned me a kiss. Despite all the fights, I didn't understand how we always managed to reconcile. I liked when he and I weren't fighting better, it really made me believe he and I would survive. But nothing was ever easy, not for us anyway. Daniel pulled away a little moving my hair aside. I looked at him curiously.

"Did you and I ever marry?" Daniel asked. He looked past me for a moment and then back down at me.

I blushed madly feeling myself go pink all over. "Oh," I said. "Are you proposing?" I drummed my fingers nervously on the back on his neck. "I don't want to cause any trouble for your parents or the sequence of time to be disturbed because of us—"

"Calm down," Daniel said laughing. "I'm just thinking about the future. If you're thinking of mine it's only fair I think about yours." He paused. "But I am proposing."

"You're kidding."

"Does it look like I'm kidding? I don't exactly have a ring on me but I do eventually want to make you my wife," he said. "So, what do you say? Are you willing to risk it or not?" He looked completely serious not leaving much room for a joke.

I never even thought of a permanent future with Daniel, ever. It was mighty appealing and I thought it nearly to be impossible at the same time. It was never an option for me and for Daniel to just throw it out on the table seemed unbelievable yet liberating. And surprisingly it did frighten me.

"Luce?" Daniel asked.

I blinked and looked up at him. I leaned in to kiss him deeply. Daniel was hesitant but he kissed me back. Eventually, I pulled away to respond. "It's a big wager," I admitted. "One that I haven't considered fully."

Daniel looked discouraged.

I laughed not being able to keep up the charade. "But it's one I'm willing to take."

"You don't sound convincing."

I sighed a little. "Oh come on, you don't want me all teary eyed about it do you? I said yes." I teased. I paused a little. "Forgive me, this is new and unexpected."

"I know I improvised."

"I don't want anything big perhaps something intimate with your family and Gabriela, Hogan, Charlie and Wesley."

"Whatever you want," Daniel agreed with a sly smile. We kissed. I smiled too my stomach in a wild flutter. I was thrilled that he mentioned the idea of matrimony, it felt so real and solid. He pulled me close to him sealing the space in between us too. I pulled away despite his effort to keep the kiss going.

"And I also want to leave Echo Valley."

"You know I can't leave."

I thought about it. I knew he would be afraid of time reading. It's never an easy thing for him. But I couldn't stay here, I wanted to go out and see the world. I didn't want to waste this life in one little town when I could show him the world.

I pulled him away from the door. I reached the yard and looked over my shoulder to see if he was following me. Daniel was still by the door eying me curiously.

I waved him over. "I want to show you something."

He eventually left the safety of the boarding house. I trotted along making my way to the back of the house. To my knowledge, the boarding house was right along the border of Echo Valley, beyond the small forest in the back yard the land crossed over to Lumina Creek. I ran past the water tower and I could hear him jogging behind me.

"Luce!"

The tiny sea of trees finally cleared and I could see an open field just a few more feet away. The clearing was vast with weeds and dead grass. I could even make out the small white homes in Lumina Creek. I slowed down a little knowing very well I was no longer in Echo Valley. I turned around just in time to see Daniel had come to a stop.

"What are you doing?" he asked

"Come and get me," I challenged.

He moved forward looking a little nervous not wanting to step out of his home town. Any wrong move would send him rippling through a time read. I waited patiently in Lumina Creek until he was a few feet away. The crease in his forehead formed as he was in deep thought. I could practically see the wheels turning in his head.

He took a few steps forward stepping into Lumina Creak. Immediate I saw the change, his eyes became glassy as if he were looking at something far away and moved back in forth like he couldn't get enough of what he was examining.

"Daniel?" I grabbed his wrist and was instantly sucked into his time read. We spinning in our spot and it continued to get faster and faster. The location around us was peeling its' layers just as fast. The boarding house still stood years of neglect quickly fading away and the houses in Lumina Creek disappeared. The empty clearing turned greener and greener each time the layers peeled themselves off. He was looking around somehow noticing all the differences completely amazed. He was so absorbed seeing all the 'presents' that he didn't even notice I had joined in.

"Daniel!" He finally looked over at me and looked relieved. "Come back, Daniel, come back to me."

Everything started reversing like a movie rewinding itself then it stopped. Our feet slammed into the cold grass. We were back in our present successfully. Daniel even seemed a little surprised.

His surprise soon turned to disorientation. Daniel lost his balance but I was quick to catch him. I did my best half dragging him back to Echo Valley. "That was very good! I've never seen you pull out of a time read before." I helped him sit down on and I plopped down beside him.

"Yeah, well, with the right motivation I bet I can do lots of things," Daniel chuckled his breathing a bit heavy. "Maybe even stop time." He lay down on the grass and looked over at Lumina Creek. He wasn't looking at the new county with disdain but with interest like he wanted to do it again.

I chuckled too. "Maybe." I reached over and grabbed his hand. He looked up at me briefly with a smile before staring out into the world again.

I couldn't help but feel excited for Daniel, this was only the beginning of what he could do and why he was dreadfully important to the present. I was eager to show him everything that was possible for him to accomplish in his time.

We have so much to do and all the time in the world at our disposal. I wanted to show him Spanish sunrises and African sunsets; enormous castles in Europe, Roman ruins in Italy, beautiful lively celebrations held in South America, sail in the bluest of waters where it was hard to decipher where the sea and sky met and enjoy the vibrant sounds in rain forests. I wanted him to experience everything that I could possibly offer. He won't remember these events but I would and nothing would mean more to me than telling him of the adventures we had together.

A/N: Helloooo fanfiction universe! As promised, this the last chapter. I hope you all enjoyed reading Lapse as much as I enjoyed writing it. I loved writing the evolution of Luce & Daniel, honestly. I'm so pleased & giddy lol. Anyway, leave me any reviews if you see fit. It helps me grow as a writer :)

School is about to start next month so I will not be uploading anything soon. Instead I will be working on a new story called Red Shattered Glass (possibly). I'll try and keep my profile as updated as possible on my progress and for any news.

Heights93