Epilogue

Jondy slipped silently behind the stone wall, trying to make as little noise as possible. She adjusted her grip on the weapon in her hand and frowned. It wasn't the type of firearm she was accustomed to, and she didn't like the way it felt in her hand. Glancing down at the trigger, she flexed her hand again, wondering how well it was sighted in. Oh well, too late to check on that now.

Stepping out from the shelter of the wall, she took aim. Her target was badly hidden behind a tree fifteen feet away, the weapon in his hand a perfect match to her own. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of her and he raised his own weapon to take aim. They fired at exactly same instant.

Jondy watched as her shot went wide, missing his shoulder by an inch. Dammit, the barrel must be crooked, but it was too late to change that now. She felt his shot impact her chest, and glanced wide-eyed at the already widening wet spot on her shirtfront. Rolling her eyes back in her head, she dropped and lay still on the ground, her eyes closed as she listened to his approaching footsteps. She felt him poke her in the shoulder with his foot.

"Jondy?" She didn't answer. "Jondy?" He leaned closer, looking her directly in the face. She could hear him breathing. At that moment her eyes popped open, and she sprang, flipping him over onto his back and attacking. He lapsed into a fit of giggles, their water pistols forgotten on the ground to his left. After a few seconds, she stopped her tickle attack and helped him up. From the doorway of the courtyard, Sister Sophia watched them, a wide smile on her face. Milly sat at her side, giving her paw a thorough cleaning, pretending not to be the least bit interested in the game Jondy and the little boy were playing.

Jondy ruffled his disheveled hair. "You know what, Patrick? I think it's time for all little commandos to take a bath and head to bed." The little boy frowned, shuffling his feet in the grass of the courtyard.

"Do I have to?" He put on his best puppy-dog face.

"Well, all little commandos have to go to bed, and how's Lenny going to sleep tonight if you aren't there to protect him?" Patrick puffed out his chest at the mention of his teddy bear.

"I guess he will get kinda scared," he said in a little voice. He gave a shrug and headed back inside.

Sister Sophia smiled at her as she followed the little boy to the gate and watched him scamper inside. "We always knew you would come back someday. Even if just for a visit." She reached into her pocket. "I brought you something."

Jondy laughed. "A chocolate chip cookie. You mean I don't have to steal it from you this time?"

"Forget it. It isn't worth it. Even if I would have been able to catch you all those years ago, I know these old bones can't catch you now, so I'd just as well give up and hand it over." She chuckled for a moment, then sobered. "I know you're leaving soon, but feel free to stop in for a visit whenever you want." Finishing the cookie, Jondy reached back to straighten her hair, momentarily exposing her barcode to the nun's view. It didn't really matter. Sister Sophia already knew everything there was to know about that. She also knew that she would always be welcome here, but in a few days she was planning to leave and drop in on San Francisco to see what Trish was up to before she went to join Jolene in LA.

Jondy turned back to watch the lengthening shadows in the courtyard. Sensing that she wanted to be alone, her companion vanished silently into the gray stone dormitory at her back. Jondy sighed. Off to her left was the same statue that had fascinated her when she had first arrived here years ago, the Virgin Mary, her arms uplifted, a look of infinite peace and compassion on her face as she watched over the grounds below. She watched the statue's shadow lengthen across the stone walkway for a moment before she turned her gaze westward toward the setting sun.

Why didn't we ever watch the sunsets, Brian? They're beautiful too, but more sad, certainly, to watch the light fade away than to watch it come. Sighing, she reached down to pet Milly, who had wandered over for attention.

It was nice to feel alive, she realized. It was good to be able to laugh and to feel it, to be able to play with children without being overcome by the loss of a child you never had the chance to know.

Jondy watched the light fade into a sliver as it slipped below the horizon, then she rose and turned to go. It would be back in several hours, casting morning shadows across the stone pathways, and she would be here to see it, to watch the day begin anew.

And somewhere, deep inside, she knew that Brian would be there, too.

THE END

Well, did I do too terribly bad?

I do apologize for anything that is lacking here. I've been sort of possessed by another fanfic plotline that's been running through my head for the last month or so. I figured I ought to finish this now while I had the chance.

So, what do you think?