Adam felt his blood warm up in his veins and his heart racing once he looked out and saw him sitting down peacefully on the porch, with his two huge dark eyes looking the sunrise.

Rey heard footsteps behind him but thought it was just Mark.

Then time slowed down.

In the following years, he would always remember how beautiful Adam looked right this moment. He would always remember him kneeling down in front of him with so much love, hope and faith in his eyes.

He would always remember his embrace, his arms wrapping firmly around him, his hands clasping his face and loosing himself in his blue eyes.

He would remember his kiss… so passionate… so deep… and so desperate… the familiar sweet taste of Adam's mouth as he explored it once again with his tongue… his fragile heart almost broke into millions of piece from the untainted happiness it felt…

And then he was really free.

When their kiss broke, they looked into each other's eyes, both out of breath and both desperately in love.

No words were needed and none were spoken for a very long time. Adam hugged him once more and he never wanted to let him go, never again. Rey hugged him back weakly and although Adam's strength and eagerness was crushing him, he didn't say anything. He needed this; he needed to be touched again, to be loved. He needed his soul; and that was Adam…

He was free again. Free at last

His once broken and rotten glass heart was finally mended and able to beat… love again.

His once lost soul had found its way back home and was again reunited with the other half it missed so much.

He felt hot tears run down his cheeks, tears of happiness and deliverance. He was complete again.

"Thank you" he whispered to his lover's ear as he lifted up his head. "Thank you for coming for me… for fighting for me…" His eyes mirrored the colours of the sunrise, giving them the brightest and clearest colour of brown.

Adam kissed his lips and swallowed the salty tears.

"I would go down to the very depths of hell for you… I would follow you to whatever end… because I love you… and I can't live without you…"

He sat beside Rey, never taking his arms around him, never breaking the precious contact.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chris was up before Eddie. He looked around the devastated room and upon seeing Mark's serene expression, he new they had won. But still, despite the relief in his heart, he remained silent and stayed down in a corner lost in his thoughts and the memories of the things that taken place. He shuddered when he recalled the disgusting smell and the sickening feeling of many hellish fiends crawling around him, touching and scandalizing him. And the blood on his knees, it was the one that had began to flood the room during the ritual. He vaguely wondered whose blood it was but then he brushed the thought out figuring it probably wasn't wise to linger on such things. He turned and looked on the other side of the room. Mark was gathering what was left of his things from around the room. He could also hear outside Rey and Adam crying from the happiness and that's when he let his own tears fall.

"You have a pure heart Chris." Mark's voice was heard. "You have proven it to God and for that you are truly blessed."

Eddie, by that time, had woken up and was rubbing the back of his head. There was a nasty bump from the impact against the wall so he was a bit disoriented. He did however understand that Rey was still alive and well because from his position he had a clear view of the couple sitting out on the porch hugging.

And that was worth all the gold of the world.

Mark caught him staring them and came to sit down next to him. Eddie immediately felt uneasy and ashamed at the same time.

Because of what he had seen in his head in the beginning of the ritual and because he had almost ruined it, nearly causing Rey's life. He didn't have to speak his feelings to be understood by the Dead Man. One look at his eyes was enough.

"I am sorry" he just spoke.

Mark shook his head.

"I know… what is done… is done…"

There was however a nagging sensation, a bitter taste at the back of Eddie's throat but he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Mark knew.

"Eddie… when I said don't 'open your eyes no matter what' I meant it for the sake of Rey and yours as well" his tone showed regret. "When you opened your eyes and looked at THEM… you looked into hell…."

A pause…

"And it looked right back at you… Now it knows you Eddie… it knows who you are and what lies in your heart…

"What do you mean?"

"Just… be careful…"

He didn't sound menacing or threatening or frightening for that matter; just caring.

"But I have hope" the Undertaker added smiling confidently and squeezed his shoulder before standing up.

Eddie remained on the ground his heart pounding hard on his chest, the words of Mark still in his head. He tried to understand and deep inside he knew that Mark's words were true. He would never be the same again, not after what he had seen this night.

But all that was forgotten when two shadows fell upon him, covering the sun rays from his face. He lifted up his eyesight and met the familiar deep dark eyes of his dear friend.

And how happy they made him! To see them glow again, to see them alive with the spark he remembered.

Rey knelt down in front of Eddie, his face sad and happy at the same time.

How is this possible? Eddie wondered.

Rey reached out his hand and with touched Eddie's cheek. Only then Eddie felt the tears on his face. This simple gesture moved him so profoundly, he was about to burst into cry and laughter.

"I am so sorry" Rey muttered as he brought Eddie into a tight hug leaving him speechless. "I am sorry for putting you through this… I am sorry for trying to kill you" He wasn't crying and his voice never wavered; never broke. He just hugged him tighter as if trying to make his point stronger. And Eddie just gave up and got lost in this exhilarating embrace. He knew that he was forgiven for what he had done, for his every sinful thought. And even though he knew he should be the one apologising to the small Mexican, holding him there in his arms somehow made it all alright; somehow all was forgiven; the present and the past; it was all behind them and up to them to forget. Before breaking the embrace Rey looked into his eyes and whispered

"Thank you".

He let out a deep breath, as if a great weight was lifted off his shoulders.

Rey got up and joined Adam sitting on the bed.

"How do you feel?" the Canadian asked.

"Tired…"

Adam smiled and passed his arm around Rey's shoulder pulling him closer. Mark approached them holding something in his fist.

"Mark… I don't know how to thank you… you saved me"

"I didn't… he did" and pointed Adam.

"I know but still… if it hadn't been for you, Adam wouldn't have had the chance to fight for me… and Asmodai would be have had my soul"

Upon hearing the cursed name, Mark brought his hand and covered Rey's mouth startling everyone else in the destroyed room.

"Don't speak his name… do you hear me? Don't you ever speak it again!" He sounded angry and immediately he regretted his tone of voice. Years of exorcisms, years of dealing with the occult and years of loneliness had rusted his social skills a bit. He often found himself speaking to others a little harsher than he meant to; a little angrier than they sometimes deserved.

He removed his hand from Rey's mouth and opened up his palm to reveal a small pendant; a silver circle with a winding cross hanging from a silver chain. Both items looked old and used.

He passed the chain around Rey's neck and the effect was immediate. A wave of pain emanated from the point where the pendant rested and travelling fast though his entire body, it made him hiss. Breath escaped his lips and instantly Rey searched for support as he felt his senses abandon him and his body go limb.

Adam frantically helped him lie down.

"What going on?"

By that time, Chris and Eddie had come closer with fear invadingtaking over their senses.

Mark ignored them and focused on Rey.

"Oscar… listen to me…" he ordered but Rey was suffering too much to acknowledge the words. "Oscar… I know you can hear me… open your eyes and look at me… LOOK AT ME" he shouted and shook him.

Rey obeyed and looked up from his laying position on the bed heaving and moaning.

"It… hurts…"

"I know it does. It hurts because Asmodai still has a way in your soul; because although we have exorcised him, you are still too weak and some of him still remains in you…"

Rey closed his eyes still in pain as a whimper escaped his lips.

"Please help him…" Adam begged.

"Rey look at me… this pendant will keep him away… as long as it hurts, Asmodai can still come for you… the only way to win is to defeat him completely and that will be done only with this special cross."

Rey was trying to understand his words but he hurt too much. He reached his hand to pull it away but Mark grabbed it.

"Please… try… I know it hurts. And it will hurt but not all the time. When the pain gets too great, the only thing that can ease the suffering is the thing that overpowered the demon… your love… your soul…"

The last words were spoken while looking directly into Adam's eyes.

And he didn't hesitate.

He reached out his hand and placed it upon Rey's chest entrapping the pendant. The heaving slowed down and Rey moaned in relief feeling the pain slowly subsiding.

"Is this how it's going to be from now on?" He asked angrily. "I thought we had won?" Adam eyes bore holes into Mark. Rey might be afraid of him, but he wasn't.

"The devil can not be destroyed." He spat back at him and got up. He headed for the door and before walking out he added.

"I didn't say it's going to be easy. The road back home is long and dangerous and we can only hope... Now pack your things. We must go back to the hotel soon. We have loose ends there as well." He grabbed his leather coat and took one last look around the room.

When he stepped out, his long shadow trembled slightly as the sun fell upon his moving figure. Chris stepped closer and helped transport Rey into the car. He already looked better. The contact with Adam had miraculous effects on him.

Eddie was speechless and numb.

Will this ever end? When does the circle close?

Something in his heart told him that for him, Eduardo Gory Guerrero, this wasn't over. For now, there was nothing he could do but help his friend, like Rey had done for him and like he, Eddie, will always do for him. He grabbed the remaining things from the room and stepped out to meat the others in Mark's car.

They drove away towards the city as the sun was already shining bright chasing away the few remaining clouds and although they didn't know what the future held for them, they dared hope and they dared look at it with kindled hope.