Epilogue
For a brief moment, Lumière could only stare in disbelief at Jacques' lifeless body. It was over, finally over, and squeezing his eyes shut tightly, he took a deep relieved breath. At last, for the first time in years, he could sleep well knowing that his family would be safe.
Slowly, he rose to his feet walking to Etienne's side. Lumière placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, but drew him to his feet as he heard the faint sounds of sobbing.
"Are you satisfied?" he asked.
Etienne drew in a shaky breath, and hesitated before he answered. "Yes. I am."
The older man pulled him close in a fatherly embrace. "It will not change the past, even though you hoped it would, oui?"
Feeling a nod of agreement, Lumière put Etienne back at arms' length, his smile a comforting sight. "Come, your home is with us now; the master will surely have something for you to do. He has not turned anyone away in years."
With the young man in tow, Lumière added, "And one more thing."
"What is that, monsieur?"
The infamous smirk shone bright and clear. "Thank you for coming after me, but Lina will never forgive me if something happened to you. Save us both the trouble, and swear that you will never do that again."
Etienne laughed. "I swear it."
When they arrived at the castle some time later, Lumière led him to the servants' quarters sitting room where, as expected, Lina was anxiously waiting for them.
"Look what I brought home for you," he called, moving aside. He would have his own moment with his daughter later; for now, it was best she saw Etienne safe and sound.
Lina jumped from her seat at his voice, tears of joy streaming from her eyes as she ran into Etienne's arms. Lumière smiled, stepping away to give them their privacy, but the fatherly instinct kept him waiting just outside the door.
"What were you thinking going after him like that?" Lina cried into his shoulder. "You could have been killed!"
"I know, but I am here now, alive and well," Etienne answered, stroking her hair softly. "At least he can not hurt us anymore."
Lina pulled away to look at him, and he took her face sweetly in his hands, kissing away her tears. "Don't ever leave me again," she begged.
"I had no intention of doing so, I swear it," Etienne promised, staring deeply into her eyes to prove his words. "I will stay by your side forever if you will let me. I love you, Chandellina."
She looked at him blankly for a moment before breaking into a gentle smile. "You…you do?"
"Very, very much," he grinned.
Overcome with another teary flood of emotion, she kissed him gently before she replied. "Je t'aime aussi…always."
Lumière could not suppress a grin, watching them share a true first kiss.
"You are not going to stop them?"
He laughed gently at the voice he knew and adored. "Do you want me to?"
Babette moved beside him to look in and smile on the scene; by then, Lina and Etienne had broken apart to simply hold each other close. "I think it will be all right to leave them alone."
Taking Lumière's hand, she led him farther down the hall, melting into his embrace, but becoming quite serious. "What happened? Please tell me that Jacques can no longer bring us any harm."
"Unless he can return from the dead, that is the honest truth," Lumière confirmed. "I promise you, it is all over."
"Merci le Dieu," Babette breathed. "Thank you, ten thousand times! No more…"
"No more," he repeated, holding her tight, never wanting to let her go.
The first of December. Babette rose to her feet, touching her mother's headstone one last time before turning to Lumière.
"First time in years that this place has actually felt completely safe," she said, leaning into his arms as they turned to walk towards the horses.
"I thought it would," Lumière whispered, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Just give them some more time, and then we will head for home."
Babette gazed a little farther down the path. There, Lina was watching as Etienne, knelt at a headstone, paid his respects to his father.
"Jean-Claude would have been proud of him," she said. "His training is going exceedingly well."
Lumière nodded. "Rest assured, he will be a captain before we know it some day."
As they watched Etienne stand, Lina drawing him comfortingly close, Babette sighed. "It is not fair, to have lost him at such a young age."
"What is done, is done, ma plumette," Lumière offered, knowing deep inside that the words would never ease either his wife or the boy. "I doubt that Jean-Claude would have wanted his son's life any other way than this; he has us now."
"Especially Lina," Babette smiled. "She still shows off that ring every chance she can; it will be a miracle if the engagement lasts as long as they plan."
"It will if I have anything to say about it," Lumière replied sharply.
Babette rolled her eyes teasingly. "Still casting stones, fatherly instinct or not?"
"We had no choice but to have a short engagement."
"I know, I know." She smiled adorably. "That does not mean I would have exchanged anything about that for the world."
Lumière smirked. "Neither would I, ma cherie; neither would I."
Watching Lina and Etienne walk up the path to meet them, Lumière and Babette smiled at their good fortune. Life had its ups and downs along its rocky way, but all and all, nothing could have made them happier. For at the end of every frightening tunnel, there would always be a light in the darkness.
A/N: Well. It's finally over, and corny as it sounds, I really can't help but feel both relieved and upset. A few years ago when I started writing this little "series", I thought I'd never get past Beginning, as I was always too lazy to really just get up and get going. Very few of my stories that I started were ever finished. I'm glad this set wassome of the lucky few.
On that note, I'd really like to thank every one for actually taking the time to sit and read my stories; that alone grants you all my gratitude and appreciation. I know they aren't your typical B&B fanfics, and if you gave them a second glance, they must at least be somewhat good. So to my great reviewers over the course of the three stories, my thanks to you all!
Finally, my utmost thanks to Trudi. The woman has sat up and put up with all my whining, insanity, and rambling over the course of time that I've been asking her to beta. The stories really would not be half as good, let alone brilliant, as they are without all her help. I wish there was a way to put co-author/muse/great person, SOMEthing next to my name in the title, 'cause that is what she has been. Trudi, love ya girl!
Before this gets way too long, I will say this is not the end. I still have way too many ideas up in the old attic, and would love to see a lot of the readers come back when they arrive. In the meantime, hope you enjoyed the trilogy. Thanks all and, as I like to say,Faith out!
