Hello there, mates! I hope you all are doing well!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has ever commented, gave kudos, or anything along those lines to this story. I know this isn't my most popular writing, but it's probably the one I care about the most. It's near and dear to my heart and to see other people enjoying as much as I am writing it, means the world to me.

Okay, now I'm going to jump off my touchy-feely soapbox and let you guys enjoy the update lol
Much love, mates! I hope you enjoy!

I kept my eyes glued on Jim as he kept his left hand on the steering wheel. He was gripping it a little too tightly which was evident by the white tone to his knuckles, but his hold on my left hand that was sitting intertwined with his right by the shifter was gentle. His thumb grazing my knuckles gently was I knew he was anxious about the small adventure we were going on together.

Or maybe he was just anxious about what this day meant to him? Behind those dark sunglasses of his, his blue orbs were out of sight for me which only made it difficult for me to be able to read him.

I wouldn't doubt that he's going through a rollercoaster of emotions. It is the anniversary of Draal's death after all.

I tightened my grip on his hand out of instinct as I pulled my eyes away from him.

He told me before that Nomura would be the one going with him to his gravesite. Talking and laughing about their favorite memories about Draal and how much he meant to them at the time.

But she's stuck in Los Angeles with some family issues, and Jim didn't want to go alone. So here I am. Feeling like a spy behind enemy lines.

Even though said "enemy" was my boyfriend and his dead adoptive "brother's" ex-girlfriend.

"Thanks." I shook myself out of my thoughts as Jim spoke softly to me in the otherwise silent vehicle. "You didn't have to come. I-." He hesitated for a moment as his hand twitched a little in my grasp. "Thanks." I smiled at his lack of words as I just rubbed the back of his hand gently.

Even though he was always rather poetic when it came to helping me through my trauma, he would always lose his way with words once it came to speaking about his own. It was when words seemed to lose their meaning to him.

I brought his hand up to my lips where I placed a small kiss against his knuckles before lowing them back next to the shifter.

It's when actions meant more to him than anything.

I glanced over toward him to see a soft smile gracing his lips.

And feeling loved within this moment is what he needs. And if it means traveling out to a gravesite of someone I never knew existed until a few months ago, then I'll do it.

I smiled as I brought my eyes back out to the road ahead of us.

And I'll do so a million times over.

Once we got to the cemetery, it didn't take long for Jim to lead me toward Draal's tombstone. It has a solid black stone with a glossy finish to it. It looked well kept. As if it had frequent visitors besides just Jim's and Nomura's yearly visits. I watched silently as Jim slipped his hand out of mine and seemingly went into autopilot within that minute. He pulled his sunglasses off before leaning down and placing the small bouquet of bright blue lilies he had got from his mom that morning into the small underground flower pot next to the headstone. Once the flowers were in place, he sat down on his calves before letting out a breath he had been seemingly holding since we both entered the graveyard together. His head hanging low as I saw a small hitch in his breathing.

I instinctively walked up behind him before sitting down behind him and pulling him into my arms. The dam that had been keeping his emotions at bay for most of the morning suddenly breaking as he let out the tears that he was holding backing. I stayed silent as I knew he didn't need me to speak at that moment. He just needed me to be there for him. To just hold him as he grieved.

That doesn't mean I didn't want to tell him that everything would be okay. That it was okay to cry.

I pulled his back into my chest as my arms tightened around his waist.

But words mean nothing when you're grieving. Especially after so long.

We stayed there for a little while until Jim's tears subsided into small hiccups. I rubbed my hands up and down his arms as I adjusted myself to placed a small kiss on his cheek.

"I'm-." His voice broke as he reached up and whipped away the tears from under his left eye. "It's just-. Normally when I'm here I feel as if-. Nomura normally doesn't-." I shushed him gently as I reached up to clean the tearstains off his right cheek with my sweater's sleeve.

"It's okay." I smiled at him as he brought his eyes over to me. "It's okay to cry, Jim." I took the hem of my sleeve and rubbed now on his left cheek to clean the tears he missed. "You're still grieving. It's human of you to react like this." I pulled his head down a little so I could place a kiss on his forehead. "It's only natural."

"But Nomura never cried." His voice was soft as he pulled his gaze away from me to look at the tombstone before us. "She always made it look so," I shushed him once more as I pulled him back into my arms.

"Each person grieves in their own way, Jim." I combed my fingers through his hair as I felt him sniffle against me. "All because she's able to keep it in doesn't mean it would work for you." He just nodded his head as he adjusted himself so he could bury his head into my shoulder. His arms wrapping around my waist as we just sat there silently together. The name Damien "Draal" Stone seemingly glaring at us as I kept him close against me.

After a few minutes though, he pulled back gently and brought his gaze back onto the headstone. I stayed silent as I just took his right hand into both of mine as he was just trying to let the scene soak in.

"I remember that day like the back of my hand." I felt his hand take my left hand into his as he curled his fingers gently around my palm. "The way he looked up at me. How he said that I shouldn't bother trying to save him." Jim let out a dark chuckle as he shook his head a little. "Even his last words were about how it was okay for him to die like that."

"What were they?"

"He said that his dad used to tell him this saying." His hand tightened its grip on mine as he now looked down at the ground before the tombstone. "That destiny is a gift that cannot be returned." He turned his head toward me as a saddened smile graced his lips. "Then that he guessed that what happened must have been his." A warm chuckle escaped him as his blue eyes seemed to lighten just the slightest. "It was obvious to me then that he was spending way too much time with Uncle Blinky's ass." I couldn't help but smile as he let out a soft laugh.

"Was he always like that?"

"Not always." Jim turned his attention back toward the tombstone with a soft smile. "He would normally give me a lot of shit about being too sensitive for my own good. That I needed to toughen myself up in the end."

"Kinda ironic for someone whose dying words were meant to comfort you." I watched his smile widen before his voice came soft, but lovingly as his keys kept themselves on Draal's engraved name.

"Yeah. It truly is." He kept smiling at the tombstone for a few moments before speaking once more. "He would have loved you though. Especially with the fact that you don't take shit from anyone. He would have admired that as well as said that I needed to pick that up from you." I couldn't help but giggle a little at his words as he turned his head toward me with a wide toothy grin. "He would have seen you as my better half." I smiled at his words as he squeezed my hand just the slightest. "He wouldn't have been wrong though."

"Only you could be romantic in a graveyard." He just let out a soft chuckle at me as we adjusted our hands so our fingers could intertwine.

"Wouldn't change me though, right?"

"Not for the world." I leaned my head against his shoulder. "Do you have any stories you could tell me about him?"

"Actually," He shifted a little as if was thinking about getting up to his feet, so I brought my head up from his shoulder to see he was giving me a small smile. "There's a place not far from here that could explain more about Draal than I could ever." I gave him a curious look as he slipped his hand out of mine and rose to his feet. "Knowing him," He dusted off his knees before reaching his right hand out to help me. "He would have dragged you there himself if you let him."

"Are you sure?" Jim just gave me a small nod as a lopsided grin graced his lips.

Well. If he wanted to go somewhere else to remember an old friend,

I reached out and took his hand before allowing him to help me up to my feet.

Who am I to stop him?

I kept Claire's hand in mine as we adventure through the forest not too far away from Draal's resting place.

"Where exactly are we going?" I smiled as I heard the amused tone in her voice. "Kind of feeling like I'm heading to some kind of sick shrine, babe." I chuckled a little as I just continued pulling her along to our destination.

To say that Draal would have loved her was an understatement.

I glanced over to her as we ducked under a low hanging branch together.

Draal would have told me I would be a dumbass if I ever thought about leaving her. Which he would have never had to worry about, but he still would have made that thought loud and clear to me.

"Just a little farther." I brought my gaze in front of me once more as I saw a familiar shape of an old stone bridge not too far away from us. "This was one of our favorite places to run away to whenever he and I needed an escape from the world."

"Does anyone else know about this place?" I felt my smile softened as a small realization hit me.

"Besides you and I now?" I glanced over toward her as we entered a small clearing by a river. "No." I watched intently as she looked over the scenery with a curious look in her eyes. The faded stone bridge that had moss growing over it from years of being unkept stood behind me as a lazy river rolled gently from a stream pouring over a small waterfall. Though I knew the sight was beautiful, I couldn't help but keep my eyes on the tattoo artist as she looked around the scene as if it was a painting brought to life before her eyes.

"Welcome to Killahead." I smiled as her hand slipped out of mine so she could walk slowly along the river bed. I watched as she looked up to the trees before reaching the bridge not too far away from her. She placed a hesitant hand onto the stone railing of the bridge.

"This is-." I walked over toward her as she looked out where the small waterfall was coming from a stream not too far away. "This is beautiful."

"Yeah," I instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist. "It really is." She turned her head to flash me a bright smile before leaning gently into my side.

"When did you two find this place?"

"Draal found it, actually." She gave me a curious look as I continued. "It was a few years after we first met. Draal had an accident at the time that led to him being an amputee. He ended up losing most of his right arm from it." I took a deep breath as I tried my best to continue with the story. "I remember him telling me that he just," I hesitated for a moment as I tried my best to put it right. "Didn't feel right after that. So he would adventure out into some of the forest areas of Arcadia trying to just feel like himself again. One day, he stumbled across here, and then he brought me out to see it not long after." I felt a smile grace my lips as I glanced back from where we came from. "It's why I talked my family into burying him where he is. That way he's never too far from where he called his oasis from the world."

"If this was his oasis," Claire spoke softly as I felt her wrap her right arm around my lower back. "He had a really good taste at picking them."

And that is how I know those two would have gotten along.

I couldn't help but laugh a little as I pulled her closer into me.

"Thanks for coming with me today."

"Anytime, mi amour." I glanced over to her to see she was gifting me with a soft smile. "Thank you for bringing me here." I smiled in reply as I just adjusted our stances so I could pull her into a tight hug.

If Draal was here, he would say that she's a keeper. That if I ever hurt her, that he would beat my ass in reply.

I tightened my arms around her as a small smile graced my lips.

Luckily for me though,

I pulled back from her slightly to cup my hand under her jaw before pulling her into a soft kiss.

I'm planning on loving her for as long as the world will allow me.

I felt her bring her arms out from around my waist so she could wrap them around my neck instead. Her actions quickly deepening the kiss as I just smiled against her lips in reply.

Forever and always.

"So," Douxie flashed me a soft smile as I placed my key on the counter. "How'd it go? It wasn't too-." Douxie's voice trailed off a little.

"It was a little hard seeing him like that at first," I rolled up the sleeves of my sweater as the older punk walked closer to me. "But we got through it." I flashed him a sad smile as I slipped my hands into my skinny jeans. "I guess the Nomura chick Draal knew never cried there so I guess Jim felt like he could just," I hesitated for a second as I tried to make sure I was expressing it correctly. "Let it all out for once. I guess."

"Makes sense." Douxie slipped his hands into the black sweats he was wearing as he leaned against the arm of the couch right behind him. "Nomura's a rather aloof kind of girl. I actually think the only time I saw that woman smile was when Draal was near her. Even then it was like the corners of her mouth moved only a few centimeters. Being around anyone like that when you're still grieving for someone must feel as if your emotions are misplaced or some shit." I nodded as Douxie gave me a soft smile. "But if he was finally able to let all that out though, that's good for him. He must have been keeping it in for years."

"Felt like it." I let out a soft sigh as I remembered how it felt having him cry so heavily into my shoulder. I was more worried about soothing him at the time, but now that I thought of it, it made my heart nearly shatter. Jim deserves the world. Not to feel as if he's not strong enough if he cries over a lost friend. As if knowing exactly what I was thinking though, Douxie placed his hands on my shoulder before speaking softly toward me once more.

"You were strong for him, Claire." He smiled as he squeezed my shoulders a little. "That's what he needed. He didn't want sympathy or for you to cry along with him, he needed you to just hold him for a little while." Douxie chuckled a little as he continued. "I bet the bastard is going to smile as nothing else matters in the world this time tomorrow due to how much weight this must have lifted off his shoulders." I smiled as the sight of Jim smiling so freely entered my mind.

"Well," I started softly as a small laugh nearly escaped my lips. "You don't like calling him Atlas for nothing." This caused the fellow tattoo artist to laugh wholeheartedly as he dropped his hands from my shoulders.

"He won't be Atlas for very long if you two keep going the way you do."

"Why's that? Is that your way of saying we'll be carrying the weight of each other's past for one another?" Douxie just smiled for a second before shaking his head.

"No." His smile only widened before he continued. "Because he'll finally feel as if he's not carrying his baggage alone for once in his life. Because the both of you are slowly starting to let go of the past for once." He pushed off the couch to stand back up on his two feet. "Makes me curious to see what kind of future the two of you will have." A smirk suddenly appeared on his face. "I call being your maid of honor if you two get married." I blushed a little for a second before letting out a heartfelt laugh.

"Maid of honor? Are you sure about that?"

"Well Toby would more than likely be Jim's best man and Mary and Darci would be two of your bridesmaids for sure, but I also know that you would hate having to pick between them on who would have the honor of being your maid of honor, so why not your big bro?" He crossed his arms over his chest as she gave me a jokingly snooty look. "I also think I would look killer in a dress, thank you."

"What about Zoe? She'll fight your ass for that."

"She's my girlfriend and I love her more than there are stars," He gave me a toothy grin as he leaned back onto the couch behind him once more. "And if it would make her happy, I would begrudgingly give that to her." He dropped his hands down to his sides before slipping them away into his sweats once more. "But I still think I would make a killer maid of honor."

"How about this then? She can be the maid of honor and you'll be my best man?"

"Is that even a thing?" I shrugged a little as a smile graced my lips with ease.

"Nope. But when have we ever followed the norms of society?"

"Touche, little Maria. Touche. But the fact you're going along with this weird sudden fantasy of mine means you've been thinking of the future too, huh?" I blushed a little as I looked down at the carpet under my feet.

"Maybe just a little? Not too soon right?"

"Not at all, love! Trust me, I started thinking about that stuff after going out with Zoe for about seven months."

"Really? What are you planning then? It's been a couple of years since then." I noted the blush on Douxie's cheeks as he gave me a soft smile.

"Well, it tells ya lot if I say I've got a ring hidden away already." I felt my eyes widen and my jaw nearly drop as he just let out a soft chuckle.

"No. Fucking. Way."

"Yes fucking way, little one." He got back up onto his feet as his smile just widened. He pulled his phone out of his pocket before searching for something on it before handing it to me. I took the phone from him to be greeted by the sight of a gold and silver ring with a right pink stone in the center of it. It didn't look like a diamond, but it was cut to look like one. The band itself was golden, but two hands that wrapped around the stone in the center were a bright silver. From what I could see in the photo, there was also an engraving on the inside of the ring itself. The letters Z + D for eternity were etched into it seemingly effortlessly.

"Holy shit."

"I know right? I even based it on the idea she's got some Irish blood in her. It's a Claddagh with a rose quartz crystal cut like a diamond in the center. Ya know. Since she hates actual diamonds."

"I get to be your maid of honor, right?" I looked up toward him with a smile as I handed back the phone to him.

"If Zoe doesn't snatch you up first."

"When are you planning to propose then if you have it hidden away?"

"Once she done with her studies." He pocketed his phone before leaning back onto the couch's arm again. "I want her to focus on that stuff at the moment. So whenever she's done and we follow through on our childhood promise of taking over the world together," A dopey smile took over his face as he continued. "Then I'll do it. That way we'll be together in more ways than one." I smiled at how joyful Douxie looked at that moment. It wasn't often that Douxie showcased the heart I knew he wore on his sleeve, but when he did, it was one of the most breathtaking things about him. He loved everyone he met with everything he could muster. May it be friends, acquaintances, or lovers, he was sure to give them all he could until they decided they no longer needed him. His love for Zoe though only seemed to grow more and more each day. Even when they were thousands of miles away from each other most of the time.

I remember thinking of them as some kind of new-age fairy tale when I was in high school. Two people that truly loved each other and trusted one another more than anything. It didn't matter to them how far the other was or how difficult it got to keep in contact because they knew at the end of the day that they would have the greatest gift of all. Each other.

My smile only widened as my thoughts continued.

I remember also thinking that I would never get the same kind of love even if I tried.

Wasn't I fucking wrong.

"I wouldn't be worried about marriage at the moment if I were you though, love." Douxie gave me a smirk as I knew all too well that the fucker was going to ruin the moment for the both of us. "I would worry about getting a place of your own so you could peg your little boy toy in peace." I grabbed one of the pillows behind him and hit him as hard as I could as he just laughed in reply.

"You just had to go off and ruin the moment, didn't you?!"

"Hey! You know I'm right!" He grabbed the pillow from me before giving me a cheeky smile. "I bet Toby could hear the both of ya two like I did and do the exact same bullshit." I narrowed my eyes at him before ripping the pillow away from him and setting it on the couch.

"I hate you sometimes."

"That just proves how much you truly love me, sis."

"Here I was actually thinking of letting you be my maid of honor in the future."

"HEY! Don't let one joke ruin my dreams!" I just smiled at him as we both shared a heartfelt laugh.

He might ruin some of the best moments we share.

I nudged him in the shoulder with my first as a silent goodbye before turning toward the stairs so I could get ready for bed.

But he's the best brother a girl can ask for.