In Care-A-Lot, Swift Heart and her companions were greeted with much celebration.

"Hey, we heard you beat No Heart…" Tenderheart Bear said, patting Swift Heart on the back. "Good job."

"Yeah, we did….but I couldn't have done it alone."

"We know." True Heart Bear replied. "Many thanks go to your companions too."

"It is we who are in your debt, True Heart." Victor spoke. "If not for your help, we would have never saved our own lands."

"Well, we still have much to talk about."

"Yes, we do."

"And we have our newest member to welcome…"

"Yeah, we do. Although we talked it over and she's decided to go back to her home. She figures she can do more good there than she could here. And she has a family of her own to raise."

"Has she chosen a name yet?"

"I think so."

"What is it?"

"Free Heart Rabbit. She feels that's more true to her spirit."

"Well, we agree. That's the name she'll go by, then."

"She'll always be Rhiannon to me, though."

"We understand. What of your companions?"

"Well, Victor is going to be staying here, at least temporarily. Take Care thinks he needs some more work before she could say he was totally healed."

"Understandable. And what of his brother?"

"Well…he wants to stay here with me…although truthfully, I want to go back to Earth, at least for a while. I need to get back in touch with my roots."

"If that's what you think is best, Swift Heart, then do it. We've always supported you, no matter what it is you choose to do."

Swift Heart nodded, then sighed. "And I need some time to discover who I really am. I've had to face the dark side of me. Now I need to figure out how to restore the balance."

"I see."

"But Glenn has one more request before we go…"

"And that is?"

"He wants to join the Care Bear Family."

True Heart nodded. "He's definitely earned the privilege." She turned and walked over to Glenn. "Is this something you truly want, Glenn?"

"Yes."

"You know what it means, do you?"

"Yes."

"Very well then." She called to her mate. "Noble Heart? Will you do the honor?"

"My pleasure, " the equine founder of the Care Bear Cousins answered. "Glenn, stand before me."

Glenn nodded and walked over to Noble Heart.

"Glenn, from this day forth, you shall be known to the Care Bear Family as Silver Heart Wolf." He held out one hand and a silver heart appeared on his tummy fur.

"Thank you, Noble Heart."

"It is I who should be thanking you, Silver Heart. If not for your help I don't think Swift Heart would have ever made it back."

"I think she's pretty tough herself."

"But her overconfidence gets the better of her. She needs people to stand by her."

"And I do."

"I know you do." True Heart looked to her with a twinkle in her eye, as though she knew the depth of just how much he stood by her. "Take care of her now."

"I will."

"And you two come back soon, okay?"

"We will."

A few weeks later, Victor was in Take Care Bear's office, laying on a table.

"Well, this shouldn't take too much longer…then you can go back home."

"Nice to know that…" he said, sighing just a tiny bit.

"What's the matter?"

"I don't know….been giving a little thought to staying around here for a while…"

"Kinda grows on you after a while, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. You sound like you know."

"I was a wanderer too, before the Care Bear Family took me in. They needed a doctor, I needed a place to settle down. So here I am."

"Yeah…"

"You'll be fine…"

"Yup."

"You sound like you'd really be unhappy returning home, huh…"

"Maybe."

The doctor just chuckled. "Don't tell me you've grown used to my company for this long."

Victor just turned to glance at her.

The bear's eyes widened a bit. "I…well…that was a joke…"

"Want an honest answer to that?" Victor replied.

"Well…I wouldn't expect you to lie…"

"Yes."

"I see." She just chuckled and shook her head. "Most don't."

"First time for everything."

"Indeed."

"There's a world of possibilities out there…"

"I know."

"Maybe my calling is here."

"Maybe," the doctor replied, looking away.

"Now you're the one there appears to be something wrong with…"

"Me? No, nothing wrong…" she stammered.

"Seems like I'm not the only one that's grown too comfortable with your company, eh, Take Care?"

"Well….uh…." she blushed, then shook her head. "Nope, you're not the only one, Truth be told I was kinda wishing you'd stay a while, too."

The wolf just smiled. "Perhaps I will."

She nodded, then patted the top of his head. "Lay down, ok?"

He nodded, and did as he was told.

She hopped onto the table beside him and lay her head on his shoulder.

"What the…?"

She touched her paw to his muzzle. "Shhh…I know it's crazy, but….just let me, for a moment, okay?"

"All right…."

A moment passed…then two….then three…and many more…before Victor reached up to pat her gently. "Uh, Take Care?"

"Mm-mm…..let me lay here a bit longer…" she whispered.

"Getting too attached?" Victor mused.

"Maybe…and yes, I know a doctor shouldn't get TOO attached to their patient…but then again, you're not just an ordinary patient…."

"I know, I know…"

"Most everyone else that comes in here, I know like brothers and sisters. You're different, somehow."

"Yeah…But shouldn't we…?"

"Why do you think I wanted you to stay? Because we aren't going to be doctor and patient forever…you know…."

"I know that…" He didn't feel entirely comfortable with her laying on his shoulder like that…but then again, he didn't want her to stop.

"After this is all done…when you're all better…perhaps I want to know you for you."

"Maybe you will…"

"I must be embarrassing you a bit, aren't I?" she blushed.

"Eh, I just wasn't expecting it, that's all." Victor stammered. Just a little strong, isn't she? I suppose I understand her, though.

Truth be told I kind of wanted her to. Maybe that's part of what drove me to take that bolt. That and I knew no one else could have helped her in time.

"Hey, Take Care?"

"Yes?"

"Maybe after we get done with this session, we could go out to the park or something? I mean, I want to know you too….just not in a place like this. I mean, in the doctor's office."

"I'd love that."

"I don't mind the affection either…really, I don't."

She blushed. "Guess I got carried away."

"A little. But to be honest, I wanted it."

"All right."

So, in the end, Swift Heart and Silver Heart wound up together, Rhiannon became Free Heart Rabbit—the first Care Bear Cousin to spontaneously gain her abilities—and Victor and Take Care Bear began dating…though where that goes, is anyone's guess.

But sometimes what you get is the one thing you least expect.

THE END

(A/N: Yeah, I know the sequence between Victor and Take Care Bear is cause for some head scratching…which is why I wrote it into the epilogue. Perhaps it's another adventure for another story.)