As stated in the summary, this is a farewell to the Roman fanfic story; it is also in a large way my farewell to fanfiction. I had promised myself I would continue the stories if even one person enjoyed them and was pleased to see I got a least a little more than just that. Thank you to everyone who followed along and especially to those that gave any kind of feedback, positive or negative.

While developments in the show made making a sequel a nigh impossibility, this at least contains the pieces of what one would have looked like.

Hope that you enjoy.

Neo and I walked down the empty street, around us all of Mantle was quiet, but there was a tension in the air, as if the very city itself was holding its breath.

"Everything's in place then?" I asked Neo.

She nodded, "Camille just called in," She replied, her voice box echoing off the stone around us, "She's at Robyn's main rally and has a team positioned at all other gatherings. If anything happens, we'll be ready."

"And Little Red and her group?"

"She's with Ren and Nora at the main rally, no sign of her other teammates."

"Hmmm." I idly looked up at the stars shining in the night sky above us as we continued walking, "Definitely feels weird to technically be on the same side now."

"Technically?"

"We did try to kidnap them when they arrived, even if it was only to warn them about Watts and Tyrian being in the city." I shrugged, "That and I think they place far too much trust in Ironwood; who need I remind you would love nothing more than to imprison us for so blatantly conducting smuggling operations right under his nose and bringing back the Red Snow gang to do so no less."

"Hmm…" Neo glanced at the wall of a building where Red Snow's symbol was painted, along with less than favorable remarks about Ironwood, "How is the voting going so far?"

I felt butterflies in my stomach as I forced myself to pull out my scroll and turn it on, "She's ahead," I said tersely, "But she hasn't won yet, as we suspected, the more affluent districts are turning out for Schnee."

I put the scroll away and rubbed the back of my neck.

"I know that look," Neo remarked, "What's on your mind?"

I walked a little longer before stopping next to a fountain. I sat down on the lip and gathered my thoughts, "Here we are again." I said softly, "Risking everything to try and make Solitas a better place."

Neo was quiet as she twirled her umbrella idly, waiting for me to continue.

"Last time we did that… it didn't end well for us." I looked up at her, "And with Sange back…" I faltered as I saw her jaw tighten and I turned my gaze to the stone pavement beneath my feet, "What if… what if we lose? And this time for good?"

I unconsciously lifted a hand towards one of the cybernetic implants covering my ears when Neo lashed out with a hand and seized my wrist, I looked up, startled as she pulled me to my feet to stand on the lip of the fountain.

Then without a word, she stepped a foot forward and twisted her chest.

I looked down at her, baffled and she gave me an irritated look before stomping harshly on my foot, and then jerking her head meaningfully, before bringing the foot back and then stepping forward again.

I blinked and then my eyes widened and finally understanding, I brought my other foot back, mirroring her movement.

There was a sparkle in her eye and we continued the outside partner step, moving along the lip of the fountain. Neo then pirouetted sharply and I nimbly stepped around, catching her as she leaned back into my arms before lifting her back up and outside partner stepping the other direction, continuing the dance.

It was 'The Dance of Shadows', the very dance we had performed to win the Festival of Lights competition so many years before. Granted it was a little less spectacular without the illusions we had used to leave afterimages of ourselves everywhere, but it was still us.

Our bodies moved in perfect harmony, the world around us fading away as we were lost in each other and the dance.

Neo's flowing hair, her sparkling eyes, her arms, so strong for a person so small in size, her laughter, bubbling out of her chest as we twirled around and around, moving wildly and precariously along the narrow stone lip of the fountain. It all held an ethereal, crystalline beauty that took everything else away, leaving only the two of us, dancing beneath the light of the stars and the moon. Complete and perfect in each other.

Finally, we came to the closing steps, and we both were breathing heavily as she leaned into my arms; I stepped sharply forward to complete the movement-

And felt nothing beneath my foot but empty void, and my heart leapt into my throat as we began to fall over the ledge.

There was a sharp elasticity that snapped around me and when it faded I found myself standing on top of the fountain's central statue, that of a large man in armor with a sword held in his hands.

I looked down to see I still held Neo in my arms and I blinked in confusion, "Your old Semblance." I breathed in disbelief, "How did you?"

But Neo was looking back at me in equal shock, "I didn't." She said simply.

Then I felt a strange tiredness, more than something simply physical, a bizarre strain that seemed almost spiritual, "Oh."

Both of us stared at one another, and then I let out a weak laugh, "Well, uh… I suppose we might just have to try to get down the old fashioned way then."

We were quiet for a long time, and then Neo climbed out of my arms to stand beside me, "We'll win this time Rowan." She told me, "We have to."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, "Lie, cheat, steal, sur-"

But she abruptly held a finger up to my lips, "No, she said, it's not enough just to survive; we both know that by now."

She grabbed me by the front of my shirt and pulled my face down gently towards hers, "There are times." She said, "Where one must live."

She closed her eyes and leaned forward, and I answered in kind, our lips locking together in a dance of passion.

Finally we broke off and I looked deep into her shining eyes, brushing a strand of hair out of her face with the back of my hand, "Here's to living." I answered softly.