"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"More then sure.This is something I must resolve and for good."

"And you're not just doing this for revenge,right?"

"No.But perhaps he'll think twice before trusting someone like me again."

"Please...please promise me you'll come back this time?"

"Haven't you gotten it already;I always keep my word."

These last segments of conversation floated through a figure's mind,as he made his way into the nearly fully rebuilt residence in Chicago.Making his way just as casually as if he was still apart of it all,as if part of his family's legacy was still in tact with the Huntsclan.Some remaining members that saw him,didn't bother to run but just avoided looking at him.Though he was surprised they didn't act at least more in apprehension,he didn't let it get to him to a moment as he came to the front doors in the stadium where three slayings were suppose tohave occured and where ahuge ambush from dragons had ensued a two-and-a-half months earlier.

He's had eight weeks to recover,he recollected to himself,knowing that their reacquaintance was probably imminent or would eventually be at best,And I've had eight weeks to prepare myself for the rest of my life,it's now time for the final piece and then to put the puzzle of my past where it belongs.

"We still haven't been able to find any trace of him,sir."Number 88 was turgidly trying to keep an official edge to his words,as the figure pushed up the heavy wooden doors and almost at a natural pace,came up only about ten feet behind the two young men who were standing in front of the Huntsman's desk,informing him on the search for his former apprentice's whereabouts."He may have very well got too caught up with all the power he gained or even imploded,the others who were..."

Just then,it seemed Number 89 had sensed another presence in the room and without hesitance,peered around out of the corner of his eye narrowly but only when he laid sight upon the stranger,did he turn frantic.Tugging rather vigorously at his chattering partner's shirt sleeve and glancing back every so often to make sure the person had remainded there;which he always did.Knowing it would be another moment for the realisation to sink in all around,he surveyed his surroundings for a final time and saw that everything from the darkened lackluster walls to the dull or faded out hides of the contradistinguishing spelled out to him that a refurnishing to the place probably would not have been a wasted idea.With an inward shrug,he turned to see the one who had spotted him,practically jerking around wildly on number 88's arm by now and trying in desperation to get him to turn and look.

"Darnet,man!Would you look already?"he told him fitfully,appearing as though that he was about to make a run for it."For gosh sakes,quit ignorin' me and turn around!"

Number 89 allowed a few more yanks,before he pryed his arm out of 88's grasp and glared angrily at him."Num-Number 88!STOP!What is the big deal?What are you..."his feigned charistic words faded into nullity,every last drop of color draining from his face as he was more then likely witnessing someone's return whom he had never actually expected to see,as he inquired Number 88 distractedly without his eyes ever leaving the person who was now in front of them."Number 88...don't we have some files to go and re-categorise from the last Hunts expedition we took to South Asia?You know,as in another room,not here and somewhere else."

88 immediately casted a look of disbelief onto his partner."Please tell me you are not serious?Loretta is expecting me home this evening for-"he cut himself off and switched widened eyes nervously from him to the younger male figure."On second thought,89,I think Loretta can manage dinner and a few lousy bills without me."

"That's right,88..."89's face now stricken stupid in withheld fear."A few lousy bills and the strange woman you found on the internet last month can definitely wait."

Turning to give the Huntsman a conducting nod,they both whirled around on their heels to start around the person who by now had stepped up a few more feet and once they were sure he wasn't going to turn around in their direction,he heard them stampeding out into the open gymnasim floor.After the sometimes slippery sound of their cleated shoes dissipated,the figure swerved his gaze around to the older man and they just stayed like that,staring long and hard into both each other's very still equivalently unfeeling towards one another.But no matter how much more capable or least capable of acting upon those pure feelings cruelty and apathy the teenager was,he knew that was not what he wanted;was never going to do it again unless he had to.He was there for one reason and one reason only,an official resignation.

"Reign,"The Huntsman finally spoke,his voice deep and twistedly welcoming."I was beginning to wonder when you would be coming out of you're little game of nearly-maim-to-a-bitter-end and seek.Our former hideaway is still in slight disrepair and I see you're quite behind in the repair field from the looks of it."his eyes immediately dropped down without consideration to what was left of his great nephew's arm and grinned gratifyingly."I always did teach you to give credit were credit was due."

"Don't get too attached,Uncle."Cole riposted impudently,though he was prompt to strike him with a warning look when the Huntsman allowed his gaze to hover at the place where although Cole usually felt little shame about,got easily irratated if people focused too long on it and not him."I recieved this blow willingly.Now then...as you are now no longer anything to me more then what dirt itself settles on,I just came to give you a,what I deem appropriate,pardon from the Huntsclan.My Mother never did bother to but I see it as an honorable choice.Better to live the rest of a life knowing you have finished off a major event that was apart of you're life,then to go about and live it with everyone thinking you're a coward.So...here's you're uniform back."

With a completely glorious feeling of candor washing over him,though he never lost one inch of tact in his expression or movements,he pulled out whatever was left of his now shreaded black attire in a ball and flicked it onto the Huntsman's rostrum and there it lay in front of him and he,himself,still having his right arm in a cast and a worn out neck brace that would probably be able to be removed soon.But Cole wasn't in the least surprised,when his uncle merely swiped it off into the garbage bin to the side of him and leaned forward to rest his chin on his bawled knuckles,his eyes squaring on his tergiversated nephew,who knew his uncle more then likely just wanted to have one good go at him before it was over.But that wasn't about to happen,this man did not have any more say in Cole's life,because it was simply that he was no longer of being able to be anything worthwhileanymore in Cole's eyes and never would again.To the teenager,even all the dragons in the world combined were better then him.

"I guess-"

"Save you're sob story for those lap dogs you call 88 and 89."Cole cut him off with such abruptness that to him it felt like he was slicing into whatever pride was left of this man and it was almost overpowering to deliver the final blow."Anyways,if you ever want a reminder of my expertise,then I'll be more then pleased to give you and whoever else you manage to drag along a demonstration.Just gotta find me first."

Pulling out the staff he had had in a slanted postion in the toughly-knotted holster he had made a few days earlier that was at his back out and in a nano second had it aimed at the Huntsman's forehead.Though the man did not even flinch,Cole knew by now the message was across to him and instead,lowered it's curved front to the very center base of the light oak desk and shot out a green bolt of energy.Focusing,Cole began to carve something precisely into it and only after lessthen five seconds,now admiring his handiwork,he gave a little sendoff by placing both his index and middle fingers up to his left temple with staff still in hand.Then giving a small gesture outward to the Huntsman,let a knowing look cross his tanned features and turned to exit.An exit which he would never enter through again,knew he would never again.

Go on you're way for now,Reign.The Huntsman thought with an baleful grin,as he walked around to the middle of where his nephew had stood less then a minute ago and turned to see the words 'Another has lead by Thorn's example' marked slightly jaggedly into his desk,a fine film of smoke rising up off the lower case 'e'.But I hope you know that it is never over for any of you,he chuckled darkly as he pulled out a small wooden box from one of the shelfs off to the side and eyed a crystal octagon gem in the confines of a long,thin golden chain.Indeed,it is only the beginning.

January 3rd,Fillmore Junior High,three months later...

Wendy strolled down the sidewalk back to her school with the retinue of her friends.Josh was off to her right and her two other friends,Desiree a more punk rock type of girl who normally was more rougher edged but still was good with advice was off to her to her left and then the more comic relief sort of friend who almost always got all four of them in to trouble,T.K.,who was somewhat paunchy was on the far side and on the other side of Josh.Tiny sowings of powdery snow were all that were coming down after the huge,blizzard-like storm the previous night.

Halloween,Thanksgiving and Christmas had all come and went for Wendy and although she had taken on normal events such as these with just as much gaiety as she always had shown,part of her still kept an eye out for her brother,who had once again disappeared the day after Wendy had left the hospital.She did miss him but she still didn't know where they stood;she didn't know and figured that it might be a long time before she ever did.Until then...she was getting on with her life.

"Hey,Wen."T.K.'s naturally brassy voice reached her ears and she turned her azure eyes to meet his gaze across from Josh as they approached the school."You've been really quiet ever since the First,"he raised an inquiring black brow."You doin' okay?"

"Yeah."Desiree chimed in,giving her best friend a suspicious look from her almond shaped eyes."Normally I'm the one who's moody.Is everything going okay between you and you're Dad?I'm still not convinced about you're mystery incident a few-"

"Guys,guys,give her oxygen."Josh interjected suddenly and a grin crossed his face as he stretched out his long arms only midway in a half-attempt to get them to all look forward again."We've told y'all,it's just between her family and my family.Capsice?"

Wendy merely shook her head with a breathy laugh against a gale of drafty wind in which rose up in her lungs but felt her boyfriend drap one of his arms around her shoulders."I know I've been a little shut down for the last few days.It's just that I've had to have time to think because of my...um...because of my long-lost twin,Cole."

"Yo,"T.K. jerked a thumb up at himself as they were only feet away from the base of the stoop,a conspiring smirk crossing his dark brown features."If I had found my long-lost twin,I'd want him to be just my opposite...studious,choir-loving and..."

"And someone who would totally suck at drums."Josh picked up when he had had to trail off in order to think of something else,nudging him kiddingly in the ribs as the two girls giggled slightly at T.K.'s burning face."Hey,what can I say?It'd be true."

"Ha,ha.Very funny."He replied sarcastically,clenching his large fists.

The four of them made their way up the first few steps and as Wendy turned out to be the last behind the three,it didn't catch her by surprise in that last second as she knew that it ususally occured whenever she was last and accidently bumped into a person coming in the opposite direction.She frowned and sank to her knees to help gather up her and the other person's few contents that had fallen,her now shortened to about a few inches below shoulder length and permed thick chest nut hair moved forward to her face,causing it to be hard to peer up at the person at first as the two were mumbling sorrys and feeling the tingling sensation of embarrassment,her and the other person rose together to full height and when they did,Wendy felt every last ounce of slight clumsiness dissolve asshe was looking up into the moderately more taller face of her brother.Enigma over not expecting to see him face-to-face set in.

"Cole?"She spoke unsurely after a few moments,standing completely erect now.

His face was arranged in surprise as well,but he seemed more calmer."Wendy."

"Wen."Josh called down to her from the top stairs."Are you coming?"

She turned up in his direction and indicated with a nod forward that she was caught up and would join them shortly."What..."she began slowly,facing her brother with a still partly taken aback expression on her face."What are you doing here,Cole?"

He seemed the most casual she had ever seen him,as he complied without a hint of aversion toward her and motioned to the still filling up school with his left shoulder."I go here now.Arcelia,her Mother and I moved back to the States several days ago and were staying in a townhouse not far from here.While I was still in the hospital,her Mom found a job here in the city.So we'll be going here now."

"That's..."Wendy let a smile cross her cordate features,her ocean eyes and her voice brightening with excitement."That's great,Cole!I can't believe were actually going to be seeing each other more often.I-um..."she felt the heat of the good news die,when her eyes incidently landed onto the right arm of his beige,corded sweat shirt that was of course,only there up to his elbow and felt a frightening shiver coursing through her and made her want to tear away to her first period class."How's you're...?"

Cole had already caught her trying with all her might to divert her gaze away and was now following it down himself."Arm."he finished for her barefacedly."Well,I did have a little difficulty adjusting with it at first but it's fine.I'm left-handed,luckily."

"Mm-hm."she agreed with him quietly,her gaze falling to her own right arm and the long since restrained feeling of guilt rose into her."Lucky.It was just a lucky shot."

Instantly,he moved his left hand out and rested it on her shoulder,causing her to look up again and this time into his deeply solemn face."Listen,it was mistake to ask what I did of you back there and it was something that had been at the back of my mind for all those weeks.Just one of the many useless ideas that came and went."he then pulled away from her and shook his head in self-reproach."If I could just take it back."

"No,Cole,what's happened has happened between us."Wendy caught his retreating arm by the wrist but let it go almost as quickly as she had caught it."We..."she had to think for a moment and yet the next time she turned to him,she continued on to him thoughtfully,realising he was just as uneasy now as she had been."What matters now is that were both here and that we both have the rest of our lifes to look to."

"You're right."He agreed but still didn't seem covinced."We do...but,I really am..."

"Sorry?"She offered for him kindly.

Cole took a moment to move the strap ofhis deep green backpackmore upon his shoulder before he sighed irrevocably at her common logic."Yes.That's exactly it."

A few moments passed,as the lines of kids were growing thinner and Wendy smiled with an implying note in her voice."You know...it can get fairly easy to get lost when you don't know you're way around."she then offered wholeheartedly."I was just wondering,would you and Arcelia like to hang out me and my friends for a bit?"

The every day question seemed to catch her brother off guard and she thought that he might have even declined but suddenly a Mexican-appearing girl in a stylish,softly pink parka came up to the right of Cole and Wendy recognised her as the girl whom had been there at the hospital and introduced herself as Arcelia.She had seemed a tad shy but was actually more talkative as they had gotten into discussion.However when the girl saw her,she smiled pleasantly at her and extended out a gloved hand.

"Hi there."she greeted Wendy in a friendly fashion."It's nice you see you again."

Wendy smiled back with equal jocose,enclosing her hand in the girl's."It's nice to see you again too."she turned a wheedling look to her brother."Well,Cole?"

Arcelia's expression turned curious as she turned to him."Well what?"

He gave Wendy a significant look but in turn she still held her own,until he finally allowed a eloquent grin to cross his sienna features."You know I'm going to get you back eventually for putting me on the spot like this,Wendy.But sure,why not?"

"Why not what?"

"We'll explain later,"Wendy promised her and then glanced worriedly at the front doors."Right now we might need to get inside before they pass out tardy notes."

Cole frowned a little."Tardy notes?What are those?"

Wendy and Arcelia exchanged odd looks but only laughed as the three were the last to enter and yet as they did,it didn't seem to matter in that moment.A stream of fresh morning sunlight emitted from the light grey clouds that scattered the hiemal sky and landed on them.But even as the sound of the first period bells echoed through out the halls,it didn't phase the girl who had hung back to catch one last glimpse of the outside world before the start of her new one and feeling the warmth of not only the fond rays that descended down from the heavens above but from the pinnacle of all she had worked for coming to life,she found herself smiling willingly into it's soft brilliance and turned to go to class.For although everything had at one time seemed to have fallen in the name of disaster,now only fell onto those who believed in a brighter future in the name of beauty.For always and forever,it would fall for good.

The End.

A/N:Thank you for R&Ring.I may write a sequeal,as it sort of hints the Huntsman may be plotting something else,who knows?I was planning this ending ever since I started on this,so it was pretty much the only thing I was 100 percent sure on.lol.

Commentary/Trivia:Just a few interesting tidbits.Enjoy.

1.Gwendolyn 'Wendy' is named for light and Coleton 'Cole' is named for darkness.

2.I orginally wanted this to be a co-written story b/c I was sort of in W/B mode.

3.Rose is Jake,Wendy and Cole's guardian angel.

4.I've altered my summary multiple times.lol.

And 5.Josh was inspired by my best friend who later became my boyfriend and if U believe it or not,Cole was inspired by Cole from Charmed.And here is something else unexpected...Phoebe stands for light and Cole for darkness as well.Hmm.

In Memory of:Kenneth 'Ken' German'

LP