Chapter 34: Turn the Page

. . .

(2D's Perspective)

"NO!" I thrashed against the bassist as he dragged me backward, away from Noodle's limp figure. "I WON'T LEAVE HER! NOODLE!" I rammed an elbow into Murdoc's burnt side. He wheezed with pain, but didn't loosen his grip.

"That beam is too heavy, 'D! You can't just push it off her!"

I didn't care! I'd stay with her to the end. I couldn't leave her alone in these flames, not after every challenge we'd faced together! "I'm not leaving her here!"

"Neither am I, 'D! But we need to think of a different way to move the beam if we're all going to get out of here!"

I stopped struggling. "A different way?"

Murdoc loosed his grip and I spun to face him. One of his eyes was forced shut with swollen, burnt skin, but his other eye was steady, full of the same rock-solid resolve I'd witnessed before he'd dropped his cigarette and created the explosion. "Leverage! I saw it in a movie once! If we find a smaller beam, or a decent 2-by-4, we can wedge it under the big beam like a giant crowbar and pry it off!"

My heart leaped – that could work! I frantically scanned the flaming barn. "There's a smaller beam over there!" I shouted, racing toward the item. The plank was about as thick as my neck and as long as an SUV. One end was buried in a crackling pile of burning shingles. Murdoc joined me in seizing the safe end and dragging it out of the bonfire, hefting it closer to the big beam.

"Alright!" He groaned. "I'll leverage the beam; you grab Noodle and pull her away as soon as she's loose enough!"

I nodded. Running back to the fallen guitarist, my heart clenched when I saw how still she was, how her closed eyes didn't even twitch as I wrapped my arms under her shoulders. "Stay alive," I whispered, pressing a kiss to her soft, black hair before looking back at Murdoc. "I'm ready!"

"Good. Start pulling… NOW!" He threw himself onto the plank, grunting in pain as his freshly-burned side grazed the splintery wood. A low creak rung ominously through the air, but the wood held firm.

The large beam shifted.

I pulled with all my might, mentally apologizing to the injured guitarist as I yanked her forward, growling with frustration as her lower back got stuck. "PUSH HARDER!" I hollered to Murdoc.

With a howl, he forced the plank to notch down, shifting the beam slightly more. I stumbled backward as Noodle's body finally came loose. She fell over me as my back hit the floor, and I hugged her desperately. "You're free, Noodle! Can you hear me? We're getting you out of here!"

She didn't respond.

"Come On!" Murdoc stooped beside me and slid an arm beneath her right shoulder. "Let's get her out of this hellhole!"

Together, we propped Noodle up with a hand under each shoulder and ran for the break in the flames.

. . .

(Russel's Perspective)

I felt sick with worry as I watched the roof of the barn. Were Noodle and 'D still up there? The inside of the barn was a fiery mess – if they didn't climb down those ladders soon, they'd have to jump!

I balled my fists with determination. If they have to jump, I'll catch them!

Around me, Suppliers were fleeing as the Pals gathered. It was clear that our foes hadn't expected their fight to end so explosively, and with their leaders unaccounted for in the flames, they were buzzing away frantically like queenless bees.

Ace was lying on the ground next to me. He'd groaned back into consciousness about two minutes ago and seemed quite disappointed to have "missed all the excitement," but was having trouble recovering from the hit he'd taken to the head – the poor guy probably had a concussion.

I lowered my eyes from the barn's roof to the flame-eaten floor, and went rigid when I noticed a dark figure approaching.

No, it wasn't just one figure… It was three people, all squished together, the outer two supporting the one in the middle. As they stepped closer, I recognized the faces of my bandmates. "Noodle! 'D! Muds! Are you guys okay?"

My gut wrenched when I saw the stricken look on 2D's face. "Call an ambulance! Noodle's hurt!"

I squinted at her. Aside from the bloody gunshot wound on her hand, I couldn't make out any physical injuries. But her eyes were closed, and she looked so still, almost as if she weren't breathing… "NOODLE-GIRL!" I raced toward them, my heart beating with an almost painful intensity as I watched them lay her on the grass. "What's wrong with her? Why isn't she moving?"

"Hnnn…" Ace gave a groggy moan and propped himself onto his elbows. "Hey, what's wrong with Noodle?"

2D was shaking. "Sh-she fell through the r-r-roof and g-got h-hit by a falling b-b-beam! Sh-she was awake for a wh-while, b-but now she – she –" He hiccupped. "I d-don't think she's b-breathing!"

No. No, she can't not be breathing!

Not her! Not my daughter!

I pressed my ear to her chest. Please…

… … … Thhhump… … … Thhhump… … … Thhhump…

My arms trembled. Is her heartbeat supposed to be that soft? That slow? Panic lanced through me as I tilted her head back and checked for breath. "Her heart is beating and I feel some breathing, but it's slow!"

Murdoc huffed nervously – I nearly choked when I looked up and noticed how badly burned he was – and grunted, "How long's it gonna be before an ambulance gets here?"

"The Pals called for medical help when me and Ace got out –" I was interrupted by a distant siren. At the end of the country road, a procession of flashing lights appeared. Relief trickled through me like a sedative. "There they are! They're nearly here!"

One of the Pals was waving a flashlight through the air, summoning the vehicles' attention. Soon, tires were cutting through grass, crawling to a stop beside my group. Medics popped out of the back, wheeling a stretcher along with them. The EMT at the head of the pack scanned our group. "Team, get the woman on the ground! You," he pointed at Murdoc, "take the second ambulance!" Said vehicle was already pulling up beside the first. "Who's going to ride in the ambulance with her?"

"I will!" 2D and I cried in unison.

"There's only room for one," The EMT stated firmly.

I clenched a hand into Noodle's soot-stained shirt. I can't leave her! I can't leave my daughter! Protective fear flowed through me as I met 2D's eyes.

His dark gaze flickered between my eyes. The singer glanced down at Noodle, pain crossing his face before he squeezed his eyes shut. "T-take care of her, Russ."

Sympathy shot through me. I knew how hard it was for him to watch her away after everything they'd stuck together through. "I won't let anything happen to her," I promised.

He smiled wanly. "I know."

. . .

(Ace's Perspective)

"Can I pleeeease see my friends?"

"For the last time, NO!" The nurse's eye twitched as she shouted. She seemed to nearly ready to burst with bottled-up annoyance, and I felt a touch of pride at having inspired such passion. "You have a concussion, and you need to rest!"

I pouted. Yeah, yeah, my skull was splitting and every small light in the room felt like a mini explosion in my eyes, but I wasn't going to let something as insignificant as my brain stop me from checking in on the others. I'd been in this hospital for three hours already! How long did they plan on keeping me penned up? "Aw, c'mon, isn't stress bad for people with concussions? I'll be much less stressed if I can see how my friends are doing!"

The nurse pursed her lips with concern.

My eyebrows shot up. "Wait, how are they doing? Is something wrong?"

The nurse sighed. "Listen, I know it can be hard to sit still when you're worried about someone, but think of how upset they'll be if you get hurt from not resting!" She smiled gently. "Tell you what; if you feel a little better after two more hours, I'll arrange for one of your friends to come in here and visit you! How does that sound?"

I groaned, throwing my head back against the hospital bed (and instantly regretting the harsh movement). "Fine!"

"Alright! I'm turning the lights off so that you can take off those sunglasses. Try to get some sleep!" She slipped out of the room as the air fell into darkness.

I huffed. Things would've been much simpler if they'd put me in the same room as Noodle and Murdoc, but nooo, they'd rather put me in a double room with some snoring old guy than break their silly capacity rules! Fortunately, as stubborn as my nurse had been, she was also extraordinarily gullible. If she really thought I was going to stay in this room, then she was in for a nasty surprise in two hours!

The hospital bed creaked beneath me. I paused for only a moment, noticing how deliciously stab-able a nearby bag of IV fluids looked before sneaking out into the hallway.

Slipping a cell out of my back pocket, I texted the band's groupchat. "What room are you guys in?"

Moments later, I got a response from Russel. "1007."

As discretely as possible, I weaved through the hallways, immensely thankful that I'd been allowed to stay in my normal clothes instead of being forced to don one of those revealing hospital gowns that would've made my patient-status obvious. I flashed casual smiles at every nurse and doctor I passed, and asked a friendly-looking bloke for directions. A minute later, I finally arrived at 1007.

Noodle's bed was near the door, and Murdoc was in a second bed close to the window. 2D and Russel were in chairs crowded around the still guitarist. The boys looked up as I entered the room. I scanned the area for another chair before resigning myself to stand awkwardly next to Russel. "Hey, guys. Um… Has she woken up at all?"

"No," Russel murmured. "She's been out since the ambulance picked us up."

"The doctors say there's not much internal damage," 2D said. "She's got two broken ribs from the fall, and will probably wake up with a concussion." He coughed. "She also breathed in a lot of smoke. So did me and Muds, but we weren't in the fire as long as she was."

Muds groaned. "She's gonna be okay. The strongest woman I know wouldn't let a little fire damage keep her out long."

"Heh…" I chuckled, trying to feel a little positivity despite 2D and Russel's grim faces and Noodle's unmoving form. "You're a little fire-damaged yourself, aren't you? Feeling alright?"

"M'fine," Murdoc grumbled, glaring sourly out the window.

I crouched by Noodle's bed. 2D was already holding her hand that wasn't swathed in bandages, so I stretched out an arm to gently ruffle her hair. "You'll be fine too. I know ya will…"

Me and my friends in Townsville had gotten banged up plenty of times and bounced back quickly, but this situation felt somehow different. Y'know, sometimes we felt like a bunch of cartoons, like nothing could ever really hurt us. Whenever I'd been with the Gangreen Gang, I'd always felt like everything would be okay. But now…

Seeing someone so strong, looking suddenly so small…

I'd never really realized how small she was. Noodle's attitude had always made her feel so big! Even when she'd had that overdose, at least she had moved!

The walls felt like they were closing in on me. This was real life, not a cartoon, and there was no guarantee that everything would be okay.

The room's door slammed open.

"ACE!"

I shrunk guiltily under my nurse's gaze. "Eh, hey there! Y'know, I thought a peaceful stroll would be restful…"

She pinched her fingers over her temple. "Well, at least you ran off to someplace predictable. We've got your emergency contact on the phone. He wants to talk to you."

"My emergency contact?" I couldn't remember when I'd last listed an official emergency contact. "Who?"

"His name is Arturo."

My heart clenched. Of course it would be one of my old pals from the Gang… But we hadn't spoken since the gang split up, since we'd had that fight! "Um… Are you sure he wants to talk to me?"

The Nurse rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure. And he's quite frantic, so I'd appreciate it if you'd hurry up and take this!" She held up a mobile.

Self-consciously, I rose to my feet. I could feel the band watching me curiously as I accepted the phone and held it to my ear. "Um… Arturo?"

I heard him speaking, and the rest of the gang chattering with concern in the background… They're all together. They're all worried about me.

Suddenly, everything felt different.

It was like nothing had changed between now and back when we'd been thick as thieves, like I still had a whole gang full of support at my back.

Like everything would be okay.

. . .

(Murdoc's perspective)

2D had ridden in the ambulance with me.

I mean, he didn't do it for me. He did it so that he could get to the hospital quickly, to see Noodle. I understand that.

But still – he'd chosen to be in an enclosed space with me. He'd had other options – the Pals who'd given Ace a lift to the hospital offered to take 'D with them, but he went with me.

Now, we were the only two people in the room who hadn't fallen asleep yet. Ace had been sent back to his own room by a disgruntled nurse for overnight observation. Noodle was in stable condition, but had yet to move. Russel, for all his desire to hold a vigil until Noodle woke, had drifted off with a hand on the guitarist's arm. 2D clutched her uninjured hand, eyes shadowed, unwilling to succumb to the urge to rest.

'D probably thought I was asleep too. I hadn't moved at all in the past few hours. Despite the meds I'd been hooked up to, my burns still felt sodding awful, and every move I made felt like pop-rocks were crackling under my skin.

The docs would probably give me more meds if I told them how much life sucked right now, but… Well…

"Why don't you ask for more painkillers?"

Oh – 2D had caught me staring. His question lingered in the air as I met his dark eyes with a scowl. "'Cause I don't need 'em," I hissed through my teeth, cringing at the pain lancing through my facial burn. "I feel fine."

2D narrowed his eyes. When he spoke, his voice was low. "You know you can't lie to me, Muds. I can see the pain in your eyes."

Sodding mindreader. "Well, I don't want more painkillers. You can understand that, can't you?"

"You don't think you deserve more painkillers."

His words struck me right in the chest, making me wince.

"Every time something bad happens to one of us, you remember that this mess with the Suppliers is your fault. You remember that you'll never get your family back, not just because they don't want you back, but because you don't trust yourself to be around them. It makes you feel depressed and self-destructive."

I squeezed my eyes shut. Shut up!

"You didn't intend to survive that explosion, did you?"

"Well, whoop-de-doo, you've got me all figured out!" I growled. Heat felt like it were radiating from my burns as I turned my head to face him fully. "As you can see, I've got plenty of self-hate to wallow in, so would you please just shut up and leave me to it?"

2D stared at me for a long moment. His shoulders loosened. As he slumped in his chair, I realized that he'd never let his guard down around me since we'd reunited. He'd been stiff, terse, a stony expression on his face every time he'd met my eyes. But now, he just looked tired. "Muds…" He sighed, his head falling to gaze down at Noodle's motionless figure. "I've learned a thing or two about dealing with emotions in the past few months. I know you can't just tell someone to stop feeling bad. But I need you to know that Noodle doesn't want you to feel like this, and neither do I."

I raised an eyebrow. After everything I'd done to these people, they had every reason to enjoy watching me suffer. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I want to give this a chance," He said softly. "You, me, the band… Reunited."

My brain stuttered. For a moment, I felt like I couldn't think. "What?"

He scowled deeply, squeezing Noodle's hand as if it would give him strength. "You hurt me, Murdoc. You took so much from me, so many years I could've been aware and happy…" Pain fluttered over his face. "But… You've told us that you're trying to be a better person. I remember how determined you were on Plastic Beach; we were almost friends there! I felt betrayed when you made me take the pills again, and I promised myself I'd never trust you again. But… After everything that's happened today…" He gave Noodle's hand another light squeeze. "I think I can finally start to believe that you mean it when you say you want to be better. That you've meant it since Plastic Beach. That you haven't wanted to hurt anyone for a long time, but you feared that backing out of your deal with the Suppliers would only cause us more pain, maybe even ending our lives." His dark eyes found mine again. "I'm not ready to forgive you, Murdoc. Not yet. But I think I'm ready to start trusting you not to hurt me again."

Dammit. I was starting to feel emotions, deep, gooey emotions that dripped from my heart like tears while 2D spoke. The band wasn't supposed to see me have emotions! Gotta keep my face straight, repress those tears –

Who was I kidding?

That bloody mindreader's eyes were sucking the feelings out of me like a vortex. He knew everything.

I sniffled. Moisture prickled at the corners of my eyes. "Thanks, 'D."

. . .

(Noodle's perspective)

I groaned… My ribcage felt like hell.

"Noodle! Noodle, are you awake?"

"Can you hear us, Noodle-girl?"

One of my hands was being squeezed; I could feel it trembling with the man who held it. "Urgh… Yeah, I'm awake." I cracked my eyes open, only to squeeze them back shut. "Could someone turn down the lights? It's too bright in here."

"Here, wear these!" Ace hummed. I could feel him slipping what felt like a pair of glasses over my face. "Alright, open those eyes!"

I cautiously peeked with one eye, sighing in relief when Ace's sunglasses made the room much less painful to look at. "Thanks, Ace." Through the tinted lenses, I saw Ace, Russel, and 2D grinning down at me, faces full of relief and elation.

"How're you feeling, Noods?" 2D gave my hand a squeeze. "Are you comfortable? Do you need any painkillers, or another pillow, or –"

"I'm fine, 'D." I grimaced. "My ribs hurt a bit though… What –?" I gasped as I was hit by the memory of how I'd ended up here – the barn, the fire, my family, scared and injured – with a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach, I gaped up at the three friends gathered around me. "Where's Murdoc?"

"Don't get your panties in a twist; I'm fine!"

I tipped my head to the side, making out another bed on the other side of the room. "You're okay." Relief flooded through me. "Good. So… It's over now, right? We took down the Suppliers' Boss, and their facility…"

"The Pals reckon they would've ambushed us at the hospital by now if they planned on pulling themselves together and taking back control." Ace's pink eyes gleamed. "They're finished!"

2D pressed a kiss to my hand. His smile was radiant. "We're free."

I felt like my insides were filling up with sunlight. We're free! He's free! Despite my aches, I felt my lips curling to return the singer's smile. I tugged on his hand. 2D glanced between my eyes, grin growing wider as he leaned forward to press his lips against mine. It felt euphoric – finally, we could be close, and no one would try to take away the free-spirited, intelligent man I'd fallen in love with. I tugged my hand away from his, running it through his hair – I wanted to hold him here forever.

Unfortunately, Ace's exaggerated gagging and Murdoc's groan killed the mood. Russel had the manners to keep silent, but as 2D and I pulled apart, I could see his eye twitching. Sigh… It will still take some time for everyone to get used to this.

But that was fine. We had all the time in the world, now that we were all together –

Were we all together?

I glanced back at Murdoc, then back toward the rest of the band, feeling my heart sink as I remembered that being together wasn't necessarily a guarantee. 2D and Murdoc still shared such a dark history, and I'd promised 'D that he wouldn't have to see the old bassist again once the fight with the Suppliers was over.

"Stop worrying, Love."

I blushed as I realized 2D had been watching the turmoil unfolding in my eyes. His face was gentle, his smile softer than it had been. "Noodle, me and Muds had the chance to talk while you were out, and… We want to move past what's happened. We're going to try to make this family whole again."

I could feel tears brimming in my eyes. If 2D was acknowledging Murdoc as a part of our family, maybe things really could work out!

Ace chuckled softly, almost sadly. "I feel like I've just watched a long soap opera with a happy ending! My heart has never been warmed more." He smirked at the ground, shaking his head. "It's good to know you'll all have each other's backs when I go back to Townsville."

"What? Ace, you don't have to go!" I grabbed his hand. "Just because Murdoc's back doesn't mean you have to leave!"

"I told him he'd make a great groupie," Murdoc droned, "But his heart's set on swanning off."

I met Ace's pink eyes, feeling my heart twist. He didn't really want to go, did he? I couldn't stand the thought of him leaving. He was my best friend aside from my old bandmates, and he'd given me so much happiness and support as I'd struggled through my feeling for 2D and the stress of facing the Suppliers. "Ace…"

He squeezed my hand. "You've got your family back, Noodle. Now, I've got to go get mine."

Understanding clicked in my head. "You want to bring the Gangreen gang back together."

"They never really broke up," Ace murmured. "They might not do crime anymore, but they've always supported each other, and they've been willing to support me too. We had a phone call yesterday… They all got together when they heard I'd been hurt, and they all wanted to talk to me. They care so much…" I'd never seen Ace this choked up. "I need to see them again. As soon as my concussion's healed up, I'm going back to Townsville."

I sniffled, holding out an arm for a hug. "Get in here. But go easy on my ribs." He leaned in, leaning delicately over me and letting his head fall on my shoulder. I turned my face into his hair and rubbed his back. "I'm going to miss you, Ace."

"I'll miss you too," he chuckled, "which is why I'm actually going to visit this time! No more years spent apart! And I'll rope the PowerPuffs into visiting too – ooh! The Gang! I can bring the whole Gang 'round to meet you! We can have big ole' get togethers; it'll be great!"

That did sound great. "I'll look forward to it. Promise you won't forget?"

"Hah! Nothing short of a pandemic would stop me from visiting!"

. . .

Incidentally, there was a pandemic.

"Hey, Ace! How's Grubber doing?"

The green man grinned at me from my tablet screen. "The doc's say he's doing great! He'll be clear of the virus by the end of the week. In the meantime, me and the others have been leaving meals outside Mrs. Grubber's house. The kids love my pizza recipe – Actually, I order the pizza then give it to them, but they don't need to know that!"

I laughed, curling my feet against the sofa and angling the screen so that the bright sunlight streaming through a nearby window wouldn't cause a glare. "I'm sure they appreciate the gesture, whether you cook it yourself or not."

"So, how's the band?"

I bit my lip, glancing out the window.

We'd rented a piece of riverside property to get some aquatic shots for a new music video. 2D was traipsing around a motorboat, beaming at the soft waves rippling through the shimmering water. Meanwhile, Murdoc was standing stiffly on the dock, looking unsure as to whether or not he would be welcome on the boat.

"It's been rough," I admitted. "I don't think we were ready to be boxed in like this. Having no one but ourselves for company has forced Muds and 'D to really put some effort into sorting out their problems. Just yesterday, we were recording shots for a new music video, and Murdoc ended up in a really sulky mood." Out on the doc, Murdoc had finally made the decision to step up onto the boat. I could see 2D scratch his neck as he grinned sheepishly at the bassist. "But I'm hopeful. I think his therapist has been encouraging him to open up when he's in those moods, and every now and then I catch him and 'D having a good talk."

"Yeah, it's great that you're all getting therapy! Don't mean to sound rude, but ya really needed it!"

"No offence taken. I agree with you completely." With a huff, I rose off the couch. "Well, I think I'm going to join the others outside. The weather looks wonderful!"

"Alright, buddy. Call again the same time next week?"

"Definitely."

I ended the video call, setting my tablet down gently on a nearby table before drifting outside.

I found Russel leaning casually against the house, bopping his head to whatever was streaming through his large headphones while he eyed the dock curiously. "Hey, Russel! What are you listening to?"

He grinned broadly, easing off the headphones. "Moonchild Sanelly, a South African artist I'm interested in collaborating with. She's got some nice beats! Wanna hear?"

I nodded eagerly, accepting the offered headset and slipping it over my ears. "Oh, I like this! We should definitely do a collab."

"I can always trust you to have good taste, Noodle-girl!" He chuckled, patting me on the back before placing the headphones back on his own head.

I continued down the lawn, my converse clacking softly over the wooden dock. As I neared the boat, I saw that both 'D and Muds looked far more comfortable than they had earlier, postures relaxed as they leaned into adjacent seats.

"Muds, if you want to record some new scenes for the Désolé video –"

"Nah, the one's we've got work fine. They're… Honest, I guess."

"Are you sure you're okay with the fan's seeing – um –"

"Seeing me curled up on a couch bawling? I'll just tell 'em I was acting. They'll eat up whatever I say!"

I rapped my fist against the side of the boat. "Permission to come aboard?"

2D grinned, blushing. "Come on in, Noods!"

Murdoc groaned. "Well, I'd better clear off before you two start making out." He hopped back onto the dock, passing me a sly wink. "Don't have too much fun; this boat's a rental!"

I rolled my eyes, hopping onboard. Instead of taking Murdoc's vacated seat, I wriggled in next to 2D, forcing him to scooch so we could both fi in the captain's chair. "Had another heart-to-heart with Muds?"

"Yeah." He ran a hand through his hair. "It still feels a little weird, being so open with him, but I'm glad he's making an effort to be honest. I could get used to it."

I pecked his cheek before leaning against his chest. Closing my eyes, I let the warm sunlight settle into my skin as I listened to 2D's strong heartbeat. "How've your cravings been?"

2D stroked a hand along my back. "They haven't been a problem, especially since Dr. Khalan invented that new medicine for me to take. I hardly ever get lost in thoughts about my old pills these days, but when I do, the new meds really help!"

Happiness rushed through me. We'd come so far from the days following 2D's painful withdrawal, times full of cravings and mood swings and dark thoughts about the future. Seeing 2D's carefree, puppy-ish smile each day was well worth the challenges we'd faced breaking free of the Suppliers. That gang was just a shadow in our past now, like my time at the Super-Soldier compound, and like Plastic Beach… It would still give us nightmares sometimes, but we were moving forward now. Together.

I lifted my head back up to press another kiss to 2D's cheek, to his chin, to his forehead, feeling his skin heat beneath mine. Pink-faced, he pulled me against his chest, squeezing me in a tight hug before pressing his lips to mine, pursing his mouth gently. I curled my fingers through his hair, loving the way the sunlight left it feeling warm and soft, and deepened the kiss, sighing as I tasted his tongue against mine. One minute of languid movements later, he removed his lips from mine, and I found myself giggling as he peppered kisses downward along the most sensitive parts of my neck. "Stuart!"

"Yeah, love?" He hummed against the hollow of my throat.

I shivered, tugging him closer, reveling in the feeling of having him so close. "I love you."

He gave me a gentle squeeze, caressing my throat with another soft kiss before murmuring, "I love you too."

. . .

The End

. . .

. . .

. . .

All you readers out there, thanks for sticking with this story through the whole two-hundred-thousand-or-so words it took to finish! I'm feeling bittersweet to see it end – I'm glad to see the characters reach their happy ending, but I'll miss exploring all the emotions and relationships the plot opened up. The next thing I write will probably be MUCH shorter – I have a couple one-shot ideas I've been itching to try – then again, I love long, complicated plots and can't imagine staying away from them for long.

If any of you all have thoughts and a bit of free time, I'd love to hear some feedback on the story! My goal is to someday make the whole world weep with the beauty of my writing, so I'm always looking to improve. Let me know if there were characters you liked, characters you didn't like, places where the pacing seemed too slow, too fast, or just right, etc.

Also, since I don't know what I'm going to do next, feel free to request something for me to write! If there's a scene you wish this story had, like two of the characters reconciling, someone punching somebody else in the face, someone eating a bowl of delicious cereal, etc., I'd probably have fun writing it and add it on as a bonus chapter!

Catch ya later!