Author's Note: Oh, man, it's been awhile! I have been trying to figure out this ending for months. I wrote scraps and ideas and then has so much trouble making it cohesive. I had one scene where there was a showdown between Conrad and Cal, but I scrapped that. I finally just pieced together what I had and hoped for the best. I find the very ending rather cheesy, but my muse likes cheese, so what can I do? I hope you are all ok with this. Thank you to my reviewers and many new favorites and alerts. Hope you like . . .

The spicy citrus scent of his cologne overwhelmed and transported her back in time. Marshall came to visit her and he fought with her mother, likely about money. "Kiss your father good-bye," her mother called and she made her way to the front door, into his open arms. He held her long and tight, as she inhaled the strong, comforting aroma. She kissed his neck and the warm spicy scent, with a hint of grapefruit, tickled her nose and stayed on her lips.

"I'll be back," he said. "I love you and I'll be back." She watched him walk to his car. It was another ten years before she saw him again. That distinct scent wafted through her dreams as she laid in bed that night, and for many nights since.

Now, weak, sick and scared in a hospital bed, all the anger and bitterness of those years vanished and he held her, long and tight.

Marshall's arms cherished the feeling of his daughter. With reluctance, he released one to reach for a tissue, and dabbed it at her tears. "Isabelle," he said, " I am so, so sorry."

"My mom," her voice emerged as a pained whisper.

"I know. I'm on it. Or, rather, my assistant is on it. I'll take care of everything and give you any information as soon as I know it. I'll get the arrangements made as well."

Conrad stood against the door jam, arms crossed, watching the scene. His wait for this reunion had come to an end, but there remained many pressing issues. The most pressing of all - to obliterate Cal Rozi.

DBDDBDDBD

"Hey! I've been looking for you," Nic said. She had given him time and space to spend with his family since their reunion, but found only Marshall and Belle in the room when she returned there. Now, in the doctor's lounge, he seemed to be getting ready to leave. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Cal," he said, not looking up at her.

"What? No! Are you crazy? Where are you even going to look?"

Laces tied, he pushed the cuff of his pant leg over the top of his boot and slammed the locker door shut as he stood. "I don't know, but I'll figure it out."

Nic blocked his way as he tried to walk around her. "Conrad, wait. Please. Just wait a minute and let's think this through."

He took a deep breath through his nose and waffled between his need to leave and avenge his sister, and his inability to deny Nic even the slightest of notions.

"Belle needs stability in her life right now. You cannot fly off the handle."

"She's got my dad now. She'll be ok." He attempted to sidestep her but she would not allow it.

"Marshall Winthrop? I'm glad they reconnected, but he is hardly the picture of emotional stability. Plus - " She placed a hand on his cheek and guided his lips to hers. "I need you here, too. Please," she kissed him again, "please don't do this."

He let his hands drop to her hips and deepened the kiss. He had missed this closeness with her through dealing with his sister and all the turmoil she brought. "Ok," he said. "For now, I'll leave it. But no promises if the police don't find him."

Their bodies swayed in that constant dance they did and Nic reached her arms around his neck. "I'll take what I can get."

"You are wicked, Nicolette Nevins!"

DBDDBDDBD

Nighttime brought shadows and darkness and quiet. Things Isabelle avoided. Nighttime at her brother's house, with him and Nic working an overnight shift, were unbearable. In the month she had lived with them, these nights were rare. Usually one, if not both of them were home. She thought of leaving, returning to the dorms to stay with friends for the night. She could formulate some excuse - studying or a party in the quad. Conrad would likely be excited that she was acting more socially, but did she want to cultivate this notion?

She settled for turning on all the lights on the first floor, double checking the locks on windows and doors, and cranking the volume on the TV. Then she lowered the volume. She oscillated between having noise and the absence of noise. Which was better - to hear every sound in case danger approached, or to drown the noise? She decided a normal degree of sound made the most sense. But it did not relax her. Nothing would. She could not settle, her body or her mind. She tried busying herself with schoolwork, cooking, cleaning. Nothing helped. The memories, the secrets, the fears, they would not abate.

Cal remained a wanted man. She tried not to think about him. The police told her he had likely run from the murder charges and would not be back to look for her. They stopped offering protection when she left the hospital. She suspected her father may have someone watching out for her, or perhaps he had people looking for Cal. The idea flitted across her mind that he may have had the monster from her nightmares killed, but she did not dwell on that thought. Her father was a powerful man.

Unable to relax, she grabbed her bag and keys and headed for the door. If her brother and sister-in-law could not be with her, she would be with them. She turned over the engine of the car and headed for the hospital.

DBDBDBDB

Belle had settled into a table in the center of the nealy vacant hospital cafe. It was well after midnight and the only occupants were a scattering of medical professionals and a couple of visitors. She had procured a cup of hot chocolate, relying on an old stand-by to lift her mood, and opened a textbook to study. She was able to concentrate for the first time that night when a familiar voice called to her.

"Belle?" Nic asked. "Hey, what are you doing here? Everything ok?"

"Yeah," Belle said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't know. I guess I just got bored and thought I'd stop by."

Nic sat in a chair on the opposite side of the table. She was not buying this story. "Conrad know you're here?"

Belle sighed and shook her head with a small smile on her lips. "No," she said. Nic saw right through her and she didn't have the strength to conjure up a story.

"Ok," she offered the girl a smile of her own. "So, what's new?"

"Tara's leaving school after the semester." The words escaped before she could catch them. It was not a secret, and she had been trying not to think about it, but maybe now was the time. Feeling uncomfortable, she took a sip of her hot chocolate, finding comfort in the heat and sweet aroma.

"Oh, no! What happened?"

Belle watched her finger trace the rim of the cup. "I don't really know the whole story. I think she started to struggle after I left. Her parents didn't like her living alone." One corner of her mouth twitched as she struggled to control her emotions.

"Hey," Nic said, laying a hand on top of Belle's and trying to gain eye contact. "It's not your fault."

"Isn't it, though?" Belle looked up at her friend, whom she had started to think of as a sister.

"No," Nic shook her head. "It's really not. Where does Tara live? Is she local?"

"She's with her family in Charlotte. She found a school there. She says we'll keep in touch, but," she shrugged a shoulder and shook her head, "I don't know."

Nic reached for the girl's hand. "It will be ok. Social media. . . I'm sure you'll stay friends. And Charlotte's not too far."

"I guess." The touch was too uncomfortable, so Belle took her hand away and used it to lift her cup to her lips. Nic took the hint and withdrew.

"Hey," Conrad called out as he approached the women, concern in his voice, "everything alright?" The quirked eyebrow from his girlfriend answered his question.

"Yeah," Belle said, "everything's fine." She knew her shaky voice betrayed her words.

"Here," Nic said, standing up, "take my chair. I need to be getting back to work." She pecked him on the lips and turned to Belle. "I'll see you at home, Belle" The girl returned her smile.

Conrad took the empty seat and sipped his coffee while assessing his sister. Her eyes were downcast and her hands fidgety. "You must be overwhelmed." They had stopped with formalities a while ago and were able to jump into conversations with ease. Like siblings who had been raised together, they sensed each other's moods and thoughts.

"It's like, my emotions, they're all over the place."

"Tell me about it."

She shook her head and wiped at her eyes. No tears were emerging, but they posed a constant threat and Belle was tired of them. "I can't. I can't untangle it," she paused in an attempt to organize her thoughts. "There's nothing. I think, 'she's dead,' and there's just nothing. This emptiness. Then all these other things pop up."

"What other things?"

"Like, everything from my past, my childhood, that I've worked so hard to not think about. They all come at me. Like a wave. And I feel like I can't breathe. Like I'm drowning. I can't untangle the emotions of her dying with everything else. It's too much. I feel disconnected from everything and everyone. I try to do my school work. I do get it done. But. . . I can't describe it. It's like I'm going through the motions. A part of me is missing. I know I'm not making any sense."

"You do, actually. It's trauma and everything you are describing is very normal. Are you still seeing Dr. Shenandoah?" When she nodded, he continued, "She will help you. But you need to stick with her, ok? Don't quit." His vast knowledge held no clues on how to help her, other than to be present.

She continued, "Then I think of how she died, alone and scared, and I just feel so guilty." The tears won. Again. .

Conrad slid next to her and pulled her into him. "One thing I know for sure is that this is not your fault."

"I never should have left her."

"You had to leave, Belle. You had to get out of there to save yourself."

"At her expense?"

"Hey," he said. She looked up at him and saw half of his mouth pull up in a smirk.

"What?"

"Look outside."

She complied. A few people were walking in a purposeful manner, staff members on breaks or maybe some family of patients. Traffic was nonexistent. She had lost track of time, but as her eyes registered the sky, the barest peak of color showed on the horizon. "What?"

"It's always darkest, right before the dawn." He leaned forward and covered her hand with his, drawing her gaze back to him. "You've come so far. Don't quit now. Things will get better. I promise."

AN: Reviews always welcomed and cherished.