Prologue (or the elusive Chapter Thirty!)
Keyes rushed down the hallway as fast as his legs could carry him. He barged into King's office, completely out of breath, which was strange for someone who didn't really have to worry about breathing. King had his feet up on his desk and was watching the monitor in front of him in great interest.
Keyes spoke frantically, in between deep breaths. "Are... are you watching this?"
King grinned and nodded. "Are you kidding me? This is better than Survivor."
Keyes glanced at the monitor and saw Brady and Chloe dancing with each other as Brady sang softly to her. He took a seat on the other side of the desk and sighed softly. "Do you think he remembers?"
King shrugged. "I think he has some vague idea, more senses than memories. He'll never get it full force like Chloe did."
"And why did she? I thought she wasn't supposed to remember anything."
King looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "And when has Chloe Lane done anything that we expected her to?"
Keyes nodded slowly. "I see your point... So tell me something, since you have decided to keep me from seeing what happens after this, can you at least tell me that it's not going to end badly? Not like the last time anyway..."
King looked at him solemnly. "You really want to know?"
Keyes shrugged. "What can I say? I kinda like those two, I'm curious to see how it all turns out."
"Well, you know that saying about God never giving you more than you can handle." Keyes nodded and King continued, "We all feel pretty bad about already giving Chloe far more than she could handle in just 17 years. So, we installed a safety net to keep things from turning out disastrous again."
Keyes raised both eyebrows curiously. "A safety net?"
"Here... watch..." King clicked his remote and started showing him a slideshow on the monitor.
The first picture was a wedding photo of Brady and Chloe flanked by their wedding party, Belle, Mimi, Shawn and Phillip.
Keyes smiled slightly. "She makes a beautiful bride."
King nodded in agreement and continued. The next photo was Chloe in a hospital bed holding a tiny baby, with Brady at her side.
"Awwww... baby..."
King spoke up, "Yes, just the first one. I think they name this one Andrew Craig Black."
"Craig... after her stepfather."
King showed the next photo. A family photo of Brady, Chloe, Andrew and two little girls, one of them holding a puppy, in front of a gazebo.
Keyes smiled knowingly, "So... two to four children, the puppy, and the gazebo. Just like they talked about."
"Yeah, I thought the gazebo was a nice touch."
Keyes sighed in relief and looked over at King. "So, happily ever after then?"
King nodded proudly. "And then some..."
***
The End (please see Author's Notes)
Keyes rushed down the hallway as fast as his legs could carry him. He barged into King's office, completely out of breath, which was strange for someone who didn't really have to worry about breathing. King had his feet up on his desk and was watching the monitor in front of him in great interest.
Keyes spoke frantically, in between deep breaths. "Are... are you watching this?"
King grinned and nodded. "Are you kidding me? This is better than Survivor."
Keyes glanced at the monitor and saw Brady and Chloe dancing with each other as Brady sang softly to her. He took a seat on the other side of the desk and sighed softly. "Do you think he remembers?"
King shrugged. "I think he has some vague idea, more senses than memories. He'll never get it full force like Chloe did."
"And why did she? I thought she wasn't supposed to remember anything."
King looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "And when has Chloe Lane done anything that we expected her to?"
Keyes nodded slowly. "I see your point... So tell me something, since you have decided to keep me from seeing what happens after this, can you at least tell me that it's not going to end badly? Not like the last time anyway..."
King looked at him solemnly. "You really want to know?"
Keyes shrugged. "What can I say? I kinda like those two, I'm curious to see how it all turns out."
"Well, you know that saying about God never giving you more than you can handle." Keyes nodded and King continued, "We all feel pretty bad about already giving Chloe far more than she could handle in just 17 years. So, we installed a safety net to keep things from turning out disastrous again."
Keyes raised both eyebrows curiously. "A safety net?"
"Here... watch..." King clicked his remote and started showing him a slideshow on the monitor.
The first picture was a wedding photo of Brady and Chloe flanked by their wedding party, Belle, Mimi, Shawn and Phillip.
Keyes smiled slightly. "She makes a beautiful bride."
King nodded in agreement and continued. The next photo was Chloe in a hospital bed holding a tiny baby, with Brady at her side.
"Awwww... baby..."
King spoke up, "Yes, just the first one. I think they name this one Andrew Craig Black."
"Craig... after her stepfather."
King showed the next photo. A family photo of Brady, Chloe, Andrew and two little girls, one of them holding a puppy, in front of a gazebo.
Keyes smiled knowingly, "So... two to four children, the puppy, and the gazebo. Just like they talked about."
"Yeah, I thought the gazebo was a nice touch."
Keyes sighed in relief and looked over at King. "So, happily ever after then?"
King nodded proudly. "And then some..."
***
The End (please see Author's Notes)
