Epilogue
"And that's the end of this evening news. I hope that you all have a good night and a good day tomorrow. We'll be back with you on monday." With that the news program ended and the credits went up.
Kai Hiwatari picked up the remote control and turned off the television. Then he sighed and sat down on the couch and buried his face in his hands. Then he looked up and rubbed his eyes. "God, I hate this. It's stupid and the only use it has is to make me tired." Kai got up and looked out the window at the road.
Shanna Hiwatari shook her head. "Would you stop it? It's not going to kill you to have them do some publicity on our honeymoon. I mean, come on, they must be curious about it." Shanna crossed the room and stood behind Kai and massaged his shoulders. "A CEO disappearing from the city to a place that no one knows about with his new wife. Not even his sister can tell anyone where they are because she's not around either." Shanna smirked. "I think that anyone that heard of it would think of it as romantic. And any reporter would think of it as their way to get big."
Kai grumbled. "You're starting to sound like my sister. By the way, did she tell you where her and Tala were going?"
Shanna shook her head. "I've already told you that she didn't tell me where she was going. It won't kill you to trust me you know. I have no idea where she went and besides, we didn't tell her where we were going either. It's only fair that she doesn't tell us. Besides, she probably just doesn't want you to worry about her. She probably has some private place in the middle of no where reserved and she's worried that you'll hear about some storm over there and take it upon yourself to check up on her." Shanna extended her height upon her tiptoes and kissed Kai on the shoulder. "You'd probably walk in right as they were getting into a compromising position and that won't be pretty."
Kai visibly relaxed in his wife's hold and let her continue to rain kisses on his neck and shoulders. "It's not my fault that I worry about her. She was kidnapped by a criminal and hysterical just a few weeks ago. I mean, you can't blame me."
Shanna rolled her eyes. "I think that we need to do something to make you forget about your sister." Shanna slipped her hands up Kai's shirt.
Kai broke away and ran behind the couch. "We just finished doing that. I didn't bring you up here so that we could just have fun. We have work to do and I thought that it would be refreshing to do that work in a different environment."
Shanna's eyebrows went up and she looked at Kai disbelieving. "No you didn't. There isn't a piece of work for you to do in this house and I know it."
Kai grinned and jumped over the couch and tackled Shanna, bringing her carefully to the ground. "Sure there is. I have to work on getting you tired."
Shanna laughed.
*******
April stared at the televison and sighed as she watched the screen change and show a picture of Jeremy heading into the high security jail in the state. His head was bent at all times except for once when he looked up at the cameras and mouthed as clearly as day 'I'm going to get you'. April was spooked as hell from that and she shivered. Everyone was probably assuming that she was with Tala somewhere.
Unfortunately she wasn't. She was in the middle of no where waiting for Tala to show up. She had booked this place about a week or two ago and had arrived here about six days ago. She had since then been waiting for her boyfriend to show up. He had gone to be a witness at the Jeremy trial. April hadn't wanted to go and no one had forced her to. If she never had to look personally into Jeremy's eyes again it would be too soon. She had enough of that man for the rest of her life and into the after life as well.
April sighed and looked at the clock. It was six o'clock. About time to make dinner again. Once again she only had to worry about making enough for one person.
It was bad enough that she had to be all alone in this stupid cabin but to not even have her boyfriend call her, it was torture. She wished that she knew where Kai was spending his honeymoon so that she could phone him for some comfort.
April shook his head. No, that wouldn't be right. They were on their honeymoon and they didn't need, nor want, the little sister phoning them because of a nightmare. It wasn't worth it. Not at all. Besides, she wouldn't like them to do that to her so she might as well forget about it.
Maybe she should phone Lolli. That might be a good idea. Lolli wasn't on a honeymoon and Lolli had told April, before April had left, that she could phone Lolli at any time. And right now she really needed someone to talk to. She was frightened and knowing that there was no one around for hours wasn't helpful at all.
April walked over to the phone and picked up the reciever. She dailed Lolli's phone number and listened to the ringing. After six rings the automatic voice took over and April slammed the phone down. Damnit. She didn't want to leave a message. She wanted to talk to a human being, someone that she could trust to comfort her.
All of a sudden April heard a door open in the distance and her eyes widened. Jeremy was here for her. He had escaped somehow and he was coming for her. April raced to the kitchen and pulled out the gun that she had hidden there and quickly held it up. Someone entered the kitchen from behind her and April whipped around and aimed.
"April?" Tala asked shakily.
April saw that it was just Tala and she took a deep, shaky breath. What had she been thinking? Of course it would Tala. How could it be anyone else? No one knew where they were. No one knew. April put the gun on the counter and then collasped into a heap of crying tears. Tala rushed over to her and gathered her in his arms, whispering comforting, sweet nothings into her ears.
Tala picked April up and carried her into the living room and held her close to him. He stroked her hair and comforted her until she fell asleep. Then he reached over for the phone and picked it up. "Um, Dr. Nikly, I think we are going to need your services." There was a pause and Tala sighed. "My girlfriend seems to think that she needs to protect herself still." Another pause. "Yes I know that it is typical for someone to have those reflexes after something like that happened to her. Yes, yes I know. But I still think that she is going to need your help to get over this." Once again, there was a pause. "Alright, I'll talk to you again in a month."
Tala sighed and looked down at April, his April. He held her closer and rocked her back and forth again.
*******
Lolli sat in her bed, watching as the future father of her child slept. He looked so peaceful and so beautiful. It was just lovely how he looked. Really it was. Lolli sighed. This wasn't going to be easy for either of them after what they had gone through. Jeremy's crash and been a big blow on both of them. Rei had thought that he had been the cause of someone's death and he had been hysterical.
Thankfully he hadn't been and now Jeremy was being bars for good. April had been a little shaky about the whole thing but Lolli was sure that she would be okay by the next week or so. Being off by herself where no one could reach her is a good thing and it will do her a lot of good. Plus it will be good for recooperation.
Lolli sighed and laid down, yawning. It was midnight, she should really be going to sleep now. There wasn't any reason for her to stay awake and worry tonight. Lolli grinned and snuggled in closer to Rei and was amused when he draped an arm around her and moved to get closer to her as well.
"Love you." Lolli whispered. Rei smiled and nodded and Lolli knew that he was saying the same.
********FIVE YEARS LATER*******
April picked up her god daughter and giggled as the girl squirmed and kicked. "Come on Jacqueline. Be a good girl and don't struggle. You have to go and get washed up for dinner. You know your mommy and daddy don't like dirty hands. Besides, don't you know that if you touch your food with dirty hands and eat it, than you''ll make it grow in your belly."
Jacqueline's eyes widened and she jumped down out of April's grip and ran for the nearest bathroom. Lolli chuckled and shook her head. "You shouldn't fill her head with those stories. How are we going to explain it to her grandparents or her friends?"
April shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? There's a reason I'm not a mother." April stepped over to the counter and began to chop the carrots. "Besides, at least I got her to go and wash her hands and the story can' t be that horrible." April popped a carrot piece into her mouth. "I heard it when I was her age."
"That's why I worry." Lolli kidded. "I'm just teasing. So where's the boys?"
Shanna came in the kitchen, yawning as she carried her three month old son, Kevyn, in her arms. "Tala is helping Kai with his new secutity system and I think that Rei is signing autographs somewhere." Shanna shrugged. "Don't ask me. I wouldn't be able to tell you. All I know is that Kai and Tala aren't going to be home for dinner."
Lolli sighed. "Well Rei better be, I told Jacqueline that her daddy would be home to help her make the dessert. And he promised me that he would be home to put her to bed tonight." Lolli rolled her eyes. "Poor Jackie hasn't had her dad tell her a bedtime story for two weeks. She's been devesated at knowing that she has to go through one of mommy's stories."
April chuckled. "I don't blame her." Lolli hit April with a towel. "What? I don't. Rei's much better at imitating the grizzly bears in goldilocks and the three bears." April winked and laughed. "Anyways. Lets hope that he does get home for you. Just remember that this is my house and that you live next door."
Lolli laughed. "Aw and here I was thinking that you would let me and Rei go and sleep in your bed."
April shook her head. "You're not going in my bed, for sleeping or otherwise."
Shanna and Lolli just laughed. April rolled her eyes. "Alright are we ready to eat?" Shanna said finally.
At that moment Rei came rushing in the door. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic jam all along main street kept me from going anywhere for a while."
Lolli smirked and gave Rei a quick kiss. "Well as long as you're here."
"Lets eat." April exclaimed and led the way to the table where they had an uneventful dinner and dessert.
"I'm going to go now." Rei said as he gave his friend a quick kiss on the cheek. "Will you be alright?"
April nodded and rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Those classes that I had to take on being able to let go and be alone again, they did a lot of good. I'm over the whole Jeremy thing now guys. You can leave at any time and I'll be alright."
Lolli looked at April carefully. "Are you sure?"
April nodded. "Yes. Now go home before your daughter falls asleep so you can't tell her her bedtime story."
Rei chuckled and left the house and April quickly closed the door. April took a deep breath and turned on the alarm system and ran to the kitchen to grab the ever-present gun. After all, it was alright to be safe.....Wasn't it?
"And that's the end of this evening news. I hope that you all have a good night and a good day tomorrow. We'll be back with you on monday." With that the news program ended and the credits went up.
Kai Hiwatari picked up the remote control and turned off the television. Then he sighed and sat down on the couch and buried his face in his hands. Then he looked up and rubbed his eyes. "God, I hate this. It's stupid and the only use it has is to make me tired." Kai got up and looked out the window at the road.
Shanna Hiwatari shook her head. "Would you stop it? It's not going to kill you to have them do some publicity on our honeymoon. I mean, come on, they must be curious about it." Shanna crossed the room and stood behind Kai and massaged his shoulders. "A CEO disappearing from the city to a place that no one knows about with his new wife. Not even his sister can tell anyone where they are because she's not around either." Shanna smirked. "I think that anyone that heard of it would think of it as romantic. And any reporter would think of it as their way to get big."
Kai grumbled. "You're starting to sound like my sister. By the way, did she tell you where her and Tala were going?"
Shanna shook her head. "I've already told you that she didn't tell me where she was going. It won't kill you to trust me you know. I have no idea where she went and besides, we didn't tell her where we were going either. It's only fair that she doesn't tell us. Besides, she probably just doesn't want you to worry about her. She probably has some private place in the middle of no where reserved and she's worried that you'll hear about some storm over there and take it upon yourself to check up on her." Shanna extended her height upon her tiptoes and kissed Kai on the shoulder. "You'd probably walk in right as they were getting into a compromising position and that won't be pretty."
Kai visibly relaxed in his wife's hold and let her continue to rain kisses on his neck and shoulders. "It's not my fault that I worry about her. She was kidnapped by a criminal and hysterical just a few weeks ago. I mean, you can't blame me."
Shanna rolled her eyes. "I think that we need to do something to make you forget about your sister." Shanna slipped her hands up Kai's shirt.
Kai broke away and ran behind the couch. "We just finished doing that. I didn't bring you up here so that we could just have fun. We have work to do and I thought that it would be refreshing to do that work in a different environment."
Shanna's eyebrows went up and she looked at Kai disbelieving. "No you didn't. There isn't a piece of work for you to do in this house and I know it."
Kai grinned and jumped over the couch and tackled Shanna, bringing her carefully to the ground. "Sure there is. I have to work on getting you tired."
Shanna laughed.
*******
April stared at the televison and sighed as she watched the screen change and show a picture of Jeremy heading into the high security jail in the state. His head was bent at all times except for once when he looked up at the cameras and mouthed as clearly as day 'I'm going to get you'. April was spooked as hell from that and she shivered. Everyone was probably assuming that she was with Tala somewhere.
Unfortunately she wasn't. She was in the middle of no where waiting for Tala to show up. She had booked this place about a week or two ago and had arrived here about six days ago. She had since then been waiting for her boyfriend to show up. He had gone to be a witness at the Jeremy trial. April hadn't wanted to go and no one had forced her to. If she never had to look personally into Jeremy's eyes again it would be too soon. She had enough of that man for the rest of her life and into the after life as well.
April sighed and looked at the clock. It was six o'clock. About time to make dinner again. Once again she only had to worry about making enough for one person.
It was bad enough that she had to be all alone in this stupid cabin but to not even have her boyfriend call her, it was torture. She wished that she knew where Kai was spending his honeymoon so that she could phone him for some comfort.
April shook his head. No, that wouldn't be right. They were on their honeymoon and they didn't need, nor want, the little sister phoning them because of a nightmare. It wasn't worth it. Not at all. Besides, she wouldn't like them to do that to her so she might as well forget about it.
Maybe she should phone Lolli. That might be a good idea. Lolli wasn't on a honeymoon and Lolli had told April, before April had left, that she could phone Lolli at any time. And right now she really needed someone to talk to. She was frightened and knowing that there was no one around for hours wasn't helpful at all.
April walked over to the phone and picked up the reciever. She dailed Lolli's phone number and listened to the ringing. After six rings the automatic voice took over and April slammed the phone down. Damnit. She didn't want to leave a message. She wanted to talk to a human being, someone that she could trust to comfort her.
All of a sudden April heard a door open in the distance and her eyes widened. Jeremy was here for her. He had escaped somehow and he was coming for her. April raced to the kitchen and pulled out the gun that she had hidden there and quickly held it up. Someone entered the kitchen from behind her and April whipped around and aimed.
"April?" Tala asked shakily.
April saw that it was just Tala and she took a deep, shaky breath. What had she been thinking? Of course it would Tala. How could it be anyone else? No one knew where they were. No one knew. April put the gun on the counter and then collasped into a heap of crying tears. Tala rushed over to her and gathered her in his arms, whispering comforting, sweet nothings into her ears.
Tala picked April up and carried her into the living room and held her close to him. He stroked her hair and comforted her until she fell asleep. Then he reached over for the phone and picked it up. "Um, Dr. Nikly, I think we are going to need your services." There was a pause and Tala sighed. "My girlfriend seems to think that she needs to protect herself still." Another pause. "Yes I know that it is typical for someone to have those reflexes after something like that happened to her. Yes, yes I know. But I still think that she is going to need your help to get over this." Once again, there was a pause. "Alright, I'll talk to you again in a month."
Tala sighed and looked down at April, his April. He held her closer and rocked her back and forth again.
*******
Lolli sat in her bed, watching as the future father of her child slept. He looked so peaceful and so beautiful. It was just lovely how he looked. Really it was. Lolli sighed. This wasn't going to be easy for either of them after what they had gone through. Jeremy's crash and been a big blow on both of them. Rei had thought that he had been the cause of someone's death and he had been hysterical.
Thankfully he hadn't been and now Jeremy was being bars for good. April had been a little shaky about the whole thing but Lolli was sure that she would be okay by the next week or so. Being off by herself where no one could reach her is a good thing and it will do her a lot of good. Plus it will be good for recooperation.
Lolli sighed and laid down, yawning. It was midnight, she should really be going to sleep now. There wasn't any reason for her to stay awake and worry tonight. Lolli grinned and snuggled in closer to Rei and was amused when he draped an arm around her and moved to get closer to her as well.
"Love you." Lolli whispered. Rei smiled and nodded and Lolli knew that he was saying the same.
********FIVE YEARS LATER*******
April picked up her god daughter and giggled as the girl squirmed and kicked. "Come on Jacqueline. Be a good girl and don't struggle. You have to go and get washed up for dinner. You know your mommy and daddy don't like dirty hands. Besides, don't you know that if you touch your food with dirty hands and eat it, than you''ll make it grow in your belly."
Jacqueline's eyes widened and she jumped down out of April's grip and ran for the nearest bathroom. Lolli chuckled and shook her head. "You shouldn't fill her head with those stories. How are we going to explain it to her grandparents or her friends?"
April shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? There's a reason I'm not a mother." April stepped over to the counter and began to chop the carrots. "Besides, at least I got her to go and wash her hands and the story can' t be that horrible." April popped a carrot piece into her mouth. "I heard it when I was her age."
"That's why I worry." Lolli kidded. "I'm just teasing. So where's the boys?"
Shanna came in the kitchen, yawning as she carried her three month old son, Kevyn, in her arms. "Tala is helping Kai with his new secutity system and I think that Rei is signing autographs somewhere." Shanna shrugged. "Don't ask me. I wouldn't be able to tell you. All I know is that Kai and Tala aren't going to be home for dinner."
Lolli sighed. "Well Rei better be, I told Jacqueline that her daddy would be home to help her make the dessert. And he promised me that he would be home to put her to bed tonight." Lolli rolled her eyes. "Poor Jackie hasn't had her dad tell her a bedtime story for two weeks. She's been devesated at knowing that she has to go through one of mommy's stories."
April chuckled. "I don't blame her." Lolli hit April with a towel. "What? I don't. Rei's much better at imitating the grizzly bears in goldilocks and the three bears." April winked and laughed. "Anyways. Lets hope that he does get home for you. Just remember that this is my house and that you live next door."
Lolli laughed. "Aw and here I was thinking that you would let me and Rei go and sleep in your bed."
April shook her head. "You're not going in my bed, for sleeping or otherwise."
Shanna and Lolli just laughed. April rolled her eyes. "Alright are we ready to eat?" Shanna said finally.
At that moment Rei came rushing in the door. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic jam all along main street kept me from going anywhere for a while."
Lolli smirked and gave Rei a quick kiss. "Well as long as you're here."
"Lets eat." April exclaimed and led the way to the table where they had an uneventful dinner and dessert.
"I'm going to go now." Rei said as he gave his friend a quick kiss on the cheek. "Will you be alright?"
April nodded and rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Those classes that I had to take on being able to let go and be alone again, they did a lot of good. I'm over the whole Jeremy thing now guys. You can leave at any time and I'll be alright."
Lolli looked at April carefully. "Are you sure?"
April nodded. "Yes. Now go home before your daughter falls asleep so you can't tell her her bedtime story."
Rei chuckled and left the house and April quickly closed the door. April took a deep breath and turned on the alarm system and ran to the kitchen to grab the ever-present gun. After all, it was alright to be safe.....Wasn't it?