~Chapter 21~

Wake and Jesse walked through the tunnel in silence, holding Scratch between them, who had meanwhile blacked out from the combination of his injuries, the power loss and the bright light all around. After a while, though, the rough and crude appearance around them gave way to a more smooth architecture, changing from an underground tunnel to a corridor with plastered walls that seemed oddly familiar. And when they finally reached what seemed to be another dead end, Wake took the dagger from Scratch's jacket.

"I hope it'll work for me too", he said almost silently and raised the dagger to stab it into the wall, just like Scratch had done it before… but the blade slipped off from the stone with a nasty sound.

Hell, that wasn't good! They were so very close to leave the madness of the Dark Place behind… and now they were stuck?

Wake weighted the dagger within his hand for a while, turning it around over and over, looking at it from every angle… then he glanced at Scratch.

Maybe…?

Wake reached for Scratch's hand and laid the dagger into it; the former Herald shortly whimpered, yet his fingers closed around the handle by itself, like it was an instinct for him to clench his weapon even within unconsciousness. Covering Scratch's hand closely with his own, Wake once more raised the dagger… and this time the blade smoothly cut through the stone. Nothing more seemed to happen at first, but then pale dark flows like black ink leaked from Scratch's fingertips, crawling over the dagger towards the wall. And finally – after moments that lasted for an eternity – the wall crumbled apart; behind it, there was a large room, illuminated by the bright glow of artificial light, with a large desk standing in the middle and a photograph of a lighthouse hanging on the opposite wall.

Jesse gasped, barely believing her eyes. Please, let it be real, she thought, let it be not another delusion… This was her office, her dearest House. Her home.

"Are we… are we really back?" Wake laid Scratch on the ground and tapped against the wall, slightly smiling as he heard the dull sound of concrete along with an otherworldly howl that sounded terrifying as ever, yet it was weak and far away.

Jesse would have never thought she will be thathappy to hear this howl. She nervously laughed, and several teardrops slid over her cheeks.

She was home.

"Welcome back (back)…" she heard the ghostly echo. "Just one more push, Jesse, one last time (time)… the barrier… I help you finish (ish)…"

Oh yes. The final thing she must be done with.

The dark hole in the wall slowly closed up as Jesse leaned to the wallpaper and called out for the switches of the protection barrier.

Trench's hissing whisper crawled inside the concrete and plastic, helping her to rule the Oldest House, to be the true Director of the Bureau… to have control.

As the colorful glow disappeared from the solid walls and Jesse's body, she deeply sighed with relief and collapsed on the floor, still conscious, but unable to move an inch away.

"You did it well, Jesse", whispered the House with Trench's voice. "You can be proud of yourself (self)…"

Wake didn't think long about it when he embraced Jesse tightly. Still not moving, not even able to say anything properly, Jesse glanced at him, the tears were flowing from her eyes, and she could only mumble, shaking from silent sobbing.

"…won't… I… let go… strong enough… can go…"

"Shhh… It's alright, Jesse, it's alright, you're home. We all are." Wake kept holding her close, stroking across her back, but then smirked a bit. "Get yourself together, Director, broken words don't suit you, not at all."

"I-i know… k-know, I…" She loudly gulped and tried to speak again. "Return… the world is waiting… I'm letting you go…"

And when she said it, pale rainbow light sparkled between them for a second, and Jesse fainted in Wake's arms.

"Jesse? Oh hell!" Wake caught her fall and carefully laid her on the ground nearby Scratch, then he looked around in the empty room. "Trench? She'll be okay again, right?"

There was no answer; but suddenly Jesse opened her eyes again and weakly smiled, wheezing from tears in her throat.

"Y-you know Alan…", she whispered, her voice was still trembling. "You asked me why we are bound. That's easy, isn't it?" She took a deep breath and hardly coughed. "I left… so much of my powers in you… tried so hard… At first, it was just… just an interest… a mystery to reveal, you know? And then it went… way too personal to me", Jesse moved her body a little bit, but she quickly sagged again. There was no strength left within her for now. But it will return, it surely would, only a matter of time. "If I can heal the House… and you… what about other people? What about…" She sighed. "I believe I'm a better person now, much better than I was…" Jesse gulped again and forcibly nodded to her desk. "There must be my phone on the desk. Give it to me, Alan. I believe there should be… something… I guess…"

Wake smiled without saying anything and walked over to the desk. There was indeed her phone laying on top of a bunch of files and papers.

"What do you want with it?", he asked and picked the phone up, observing the small light on its surface that was flashing steadily.

"Give it to me", she squeezed out. "I… I must see…"

And when Wake came back to her, she reached the phone with her hand and activated the screen.

Oh God… Seven lost calls and one long message. Well done, Jesse, her doubts are finally vanished.

"I must admit I lied to you once", Jesse said quietly. "I've never met Alice face to face, yet I've been talking to her by phone for… quite enough time. Look at that."

She showed the phone screen to Wake to let him see the message with following lines:

"Ms. Faden, you were right! I don't know what I was thinking, how could I keep believing for so many years that he's dead! You knew what only the two of us could know. And about my dream of Arizona, too. It was real! Now I know! I need to talk to you. Call me back ASAP."

Wake stared at the phone, speechless, unable to move. His head felt dizzy all of a sudden, his went throat dry. Jesse had really talked to Alice… and Alice knew… she knew!

This was the very moment he had fought for all these years and now, it was finally there!

He reached towards the screen, yet he didn't touch it, scared that this all was just an illusion that would shatter once he did.

Jesse smiled and peacefully leaned her head back.

"You can go any moment from now… she's waiting… you don't need me anymore… and I'm glad…"

"I… I…" Wake gulped hard, then looked at Scratch who still lay unconscious. "What about him? He has nowhere to go, but I can't just take him with me… And what about Casey? He's not really dead, but people will never know the truth…"

"Don't worry about that, Alan, I will take care of it. We Bureau agents know our ways, trust me", Jesse said with a slight smirk. And Scratch… well, it's just an idea, but… he could stay with us? The best way of hiding is to hide before everyone's eyes. If you know what I mean", She slightly moved again, trying to touch Wake with her weakened fingers. "We have everything to protect him… even if the House is the closest way to the Dark Place, I think."

Wake didn't answer on that at first, but then he nodded. "I guess you're right, it might be really the best. At least until he remembers and makes his own decision where to go…" He then focused his eyes at Jesse. "And what about you? Will we ever meet again?"

"If the Hiss doesn't kill me in the end…" she said with a hoarse chuckle. "We can always keep in touch, right?"

"Fair enough. Just take care that Scratch doesn't kill the Hiss accidently, you surely don't want him to slaughter your prey, hm?" Wake smirked again and took Jesse's hand, holding it closely. "Thank you, Jesse. For everything. I owe you very big time."

"No need…" she squeezed a painful smile "I'm just… glad to know you… and your inner light… keep it safe, don't let it fade anymore." Jesse coughed again and slowly closed her eyes. "You are strong now. Don't be afraid, I won't go. But you can… Yet I'm here, I'm always here. I'll never go away…"

And so she became silent. She kept her promise, the most important one she ever made, and she fulfilled it. She was done for now…

"I won't let it fade ever again. I promise."

Laying her back on the ground, Wake closed his eyes and called for his inner powers… and they replied. Feeling the warmth forming between his fingers, Wake straightened his hand to rest it on Jesse's forehead. For a long while the white light shined between them, and when it finally faded away beneath his skin, Wake opened his eyes again and sighed. As much as he wanted to follow Jesse's words right away, as much was he afraid to. This whole madness had drained so many powers from her. What if she wouldn't be the same ever after? What if… what if she would never—?

"She'll be fine (fine)", whispered the walls around him before he could bring his thought to an end. "I will watch (watch)… Your light protects you… You should go now… it's about time (time)…"

Wake stood up, and he had already reached the door, when he looked back at Jesse one last time. He smiled as he saw the faint blue glow of Trench's aura, sparkling within the air like countless tiny ice crystals.

And so, Wake left the office to return.

Back to his old life.

Back to Barry.

Back to Alice.

And as the door fell close behind him, something appeared on one of the walls in Jesse's office, right beneath the photo of the lighthouse. A framed piece of paper took shape straight from thin air; it was seemingly blank at first, but after a moment fine lines appeared on it, one after another, until they formed large, curvy letters – handwritten in calligraphy and glowing brightly green, too:

"Beyond the Shadow you settle for, there is a Miracle illuminated."

~*~*~*~ THE END ~*~*~*~