Disclaimer: I own the DVD now, but no money shall be made off this.

Ch8

The sun came out almost immediately, and back in town, the villagers hesitantly stepped outside. The sun hurt their eyes at first, but the fresh air was a welcome relief. All of them stretching and taking deep breaths, laughing and celebrating. Robbie led his sister out from the crowd.

"I think we ought to leave this town as soon as possible," he whispered to her. She nodded vigorously.

"What about the brothers?" she murmured. Her brother glanced over his shoulder to the crowd.

"I haven't forgotten about them… I think we ought to find them before the villagers do. It'll be best for them… and us I think." Lisa bit her lip nervously; it was a habit she just couldn't kick. She looked around at the merry towns-people around her, then back to her brother's worried gaze.

"I'll miss some of them…" Robbie smiled and took his sisters wrist.

"Some on them, sure." He laughed and they began to sneak away. "But it'll be good to get away. Get a fresh start… "Lisa giggled happily, before furiously shushing herself. She understood the need for them to slip away unnoticed and found it wonderfully exciting.

They snuck down the narrow dirt path towards the lake together. Their feet crunched on the mulchy ground as they walked. It was warm and sunny for the first time in months.

Jake heard them coming before he could see them. Will was still deep inside himself. Robbie and Lisa turned the final bend in the road to the lake, and Jake stood up out of the water. He waved pleasantly to them. Lisa burst into a wide grin and ran to him.

"Thank god!" She flung her arms around his neck. Surprised, Jake lost his balanced clumsily and the pair tumbled into the water. From the shore, Robbie laughed, as did Jake and Lisa in the water.

Will was still planted on his knees in the water, staring at nothing. Lisa noticed this, in her own way, and hugged him into the water too.

"Look," Robbie felt a need to bring back the somber feeling of the situation. "I think you ought to get out of town before the townspeople start looking for you. Lisa and I are going to leave as well." He shoved his hands into his pockets. Jake and Will exchanged looks and pulled themselves out the water. Still hanging off Wills neck, Lisa stumbled up as well.

"Why would we want to avoid them?"

"They might want to make you stay." Robbie said darkly. Will laughed; though he couldn't place what he thought was funny.

"Come along, Herr Grimm, let's go. We'll all go together." Lisa took his hand and dragged him out of the water. Jake followed them out, and the three of them, all soaking wet and dripping, trudged over the muddy shore and back up onto the path.

Robbie stood on the beach staring at the water.

"Hey, Rob," Will called out. "Ready?" Robbie spun around slowly.

"Yea… It's just… well, the water hasn't been this clear in a while. And… You know, nobody has ever called me 'Rob' before." He chuckled.

"Well, today's your lucky day… I'm ready to get out of here…" Jake gave Will a friendly pat on the back.

"Me too."

"Where do you two live, anyway?" Lisa piped in. Jake threw Will a glance before answering.

"Marbaden. In all technicalities." She gave him a blank look.

"I've never even heard of it."

"It's a well kept secret." Will joked as Robbie met them at the edge of the path. "Finally." He said to Robbie, ruffling his dark hair. "Took you long enough." He handed Robbie his sister and as they started walking, sped his step to catch up with Jake.

"Thank you." He whispered. "You're… you're really amazing, you know that?"

"You flatter me."

"No… I mean it, Jake. I don't know where I'd be without you." Jake looked him straight in the eye.

"Here, Will. You'd be here, with that woman living happily ever after… and everything would've worked out for the best. Everything. You'd be happy with Mirabelle… and mother… and Charlotte…"

"Jake!" Will hissed. "Stop it. Just stop. Stop blaming yourself for everything. Stop blaming yourself for Charlotte, at least. It… She… her death was no fault of yours. She was beyond saving, Jake… she was. Nothing could have helped her." He paused, taking a long look at the landscape around him. "It was wrong of me to be angry with you over it. You didn't know any better… and as for Mirabelle. There is nothing about what happened that you could even try and blame yourself for. All of this was my fault for being a horrible person."

"I'm glad you've gotten over that." Jake mumbled. Will punched him playfully on the arm. Smiling softly, happy that things were back to how they should be, Will took a deep breath.

"Well Jake, let's hurry. I want to get home." He grinned and took a hop before jogging up the path a ways. "Let's go! Come on, you three!" Jake ran off to catch his brother and they stumbled and tripped the rest of the way up the path in hurried attempts to catch each other. And though they couldn't really know it, they were reliving the childhood they had never lived in the first place.

XO

They retrieved their horses, and stole one for Robbie and Lisa, and the four of them rode off before anyone had noticed. They arrived back in Marbaden within the week, as though by miracle. They were greeted happily, and when Angelika finally arrived on the scene, Jacob slid off his horse and rushed to her. In one fluid motion, he swept her up in a deep kiss. He had never been quite so graceful. When he pulled away from her, she was in shock. Their faces were inches away, and Jake's eyes roamed over every detail of her face.

"Welcome home…" She whispered. He kissed her again, gentler this time.

"I love you… did you know that?" Angelika blushed.

"Of course… I love you too, Jake." Jake's face erupted into a wide grin.

"Well you two lovebirds," Will cut in and stopped their romantic moment. Jake gave him an exasperated look. "What? Don't give me any of that Jake. I'm just as glad to be home as you are, you know."

"Of course…"

"Well, I suppose I'll start on my plan to steal your woman then…" Will grinned schemingly and plucked Angelika off Jakes arm and led her away.

"Will!" Jake cried out miserably and ran after them. He caught up to them, thoroughly distressed, only to find the pair laughing quietly. "Oh you two…" He sighed. "Why do you tease me so?" Will tugged Jake onto his other arm, smiling gleefully.

"Because we know how much you love the attention." Jake looked put out, but only for a moment. He couldn't help but laugh. His brother had always amused him.

XOxo

Fin.

I know. It's a horrible ending. I suck at endings and I took forever on this final chapter. So. Sorry about that. Thanks for reading though. Thanks a lot. -Kagii