Well...here it is. Final chapter and the epilogue. I've enjoyed this so much, and it's been nice getting to know you all a little. Don't know that I'll be writing another Fan Fic for awhile. This one consumed me way too much. But I will still be around, checking out what y'all are working on.

Thanks to all who reviewed chapter 24. It was hard not to just go ahead and post this one right away...but I decided to drag out the suspense just a tad. (big grin) So here goes. I hope y'all won't be too upset with me. But be sure to read all the way to the end. :)

Chapter 25

I tried to sit up, but Uncle Dave held me back. "Easy, now. Just rest. You'll be all right."

"What-what happened?" I could barely speak for my parched throat.

"You're in the hospital." Uncle Dave smiled then squeezed my hand. "You...had a little spill." The smile on his face twisted into a frown. "You really gave us a scare, young lady. When I got up yesterday and you weren't around, and Shadow wasn't in his stall..."

"I'm sorry." Tears filled my eyes. Not, this time, for my disobedience, but for what I had lost. What had I lost, and what had happened? Had it all been a dream after all? A gloominess I could not shake settled over me.

"Sh. It's all right," Uncle Dave soothed. "Why don't you go on back to sleep for awhile?"

"Uh...that's not a good idea." A man in a white lab coat–apparently the doctor–stepped into my line of vision. "She was out cold. Probably has a concussion, so now that she's awake, we need to do our best to keep her awake for awhile."

Uncle Dave nodded, then, when the doctor left, turned back to me. "Tell me something, then. What were you doing all the way over at Cowpens?"

"Cowpens?"

"Yeah, we went out looking for you but you were no where to be found. I had just gotten back home, about to call the police when the folks from the National Park Services in charge of the Cowpens Battlefield called us."

"The people from Cowpens called you?" I felt like an idiot, repeating everything Uncle Dave said. Again I tried to sit up, but the room began to swim. I closed my eyes for a moment, then struggled to a sitting position.

Uncle Dave propped a couple of pillows behind me while he went on with his account. "You were found, unconscious, on a portion of the battlefield, dressed in some ragged 18th century clothes, no ID on you. Shadow stood beside you, like a guard dog or something. A buddy of mine who helps out with the re-enactments recognized you, and told them who to call. "

I gasped. "Where is the dress?"

Uncle Dave frowned. "You know, you probably fell off because of that dress. I cannot imagine what you were thinking."

"Uncle Dave." I grabbed him by both of his arms. "Where is the dress?"

"Oh, well it's over there with the rest of your things." He pointed to a small closet.

"Would you–would you get it for me, please?" My heart beat accelerated. Could it be I had not just dreamed it all?

Uncle Dave gave me a curious frown, then stood. "It looks like it's seen better days. But I suppose, if it's washed up a little..." He opened the closet and pulled out the dress. My dress. The one William had Wilkins and Bordon find.

"Oh, give it to me, please!" The tears streamed down my cheeks once again as I held out my hands. I grabbed it and held it up to my face, sniffing in the smells of the 18th century. As unpleasant as some of them might have been to my 21st century nose a year ago, now they were sweeter than French perfume. And I could smell him. It had been real.

"Where did you get that rag anyway?" Uncle Dave chuckled and tried to take it from me.

"No. Leave it." I held on like a child clinging to a favorite teddy bear. But...the battle. What had happened? "Uncle Dave, what happened at the Battle of Cowpens? What happened to the British leader of the Green Dragoons?"

"Laura, why is that important now?"

"The doc said I had to stay awake, right?"

Uncle Dave nodded. "Yes, but–"

"So, Mr. History Buff. Talk to me about your favorite war. You know what happened."

He shrugged and began to recount everything, just as I had seen it. "As far as your dragoon leader, Lt. Colonel William Tavington, he was killed in battle."

"No," I cried, and slumped back against the pillows as tears formed anew in my eyes.

"Laura, what is the matter with you?"

"How? Was he shot? Did Benjamin Martin kill him?"

"I think you've got yourself too worked up." He stood and tried to pull the covers up to my neck. "You rest. I'm going to go see how long you have to stay here." I grabbed his arm before he could turn away from me.

"Please, Uncle Dave, just tell me how he died, and I won't bug you about it again."

Uncle Dave drew his lips together in the all-too-familiar stubborn line of the Hanson family. "Why does it matter? He'd be dead by now anyway."

"It just does! Please!"

He shrugged. "It's a mystery, actually. His body was never found. Some believe he played the coward and made a run for it. But knowing his past valor in battle, I would seriously doubt it. Probably had his head cut off or something, and was just unrecognizable."

Uncle Dave went on for some time, but I didn't hear another word he spoke.

"You've got to take me back there," I blurted.

"Take you back where?"

"To Cowpens. I have to find him."

"Laura, you've gone mad."

What could I do to make him understand? He would find my time travel story just as ridiculous as William had. But then an idea came to me.

"I know, I know. I sound crazy." I laughed, and raised my hand to my head. Laughing made it throb. "But there was a man. A-a re-enactor, maybe. He was dressed like Colonel Tavington."

"Laura, honey, that was yesterday. They held a re-enactment at the battlefield to mark the battle's anniversary. He was probably there early, but by now he's gone home."

A re-enactment? Poor William. He must have been terribly confused.

"I've got to find him." I threw aside the sheet and blanket and swung my feet over the side of the bed.

"Whoa there, little lady." Uncle Dave grabbed me by the shoulders, stopping my progress.

"I have to know if he's all right."

Uncle Dave looked deep into my eyes. "Will you calm yourself and take it easy if I do take you out there?"

"Yes! Please, take me there now."

He shook his head. "This is craziness."

"You have no idea." I hurried to get dressed in some of my own clothes Uncle Dave had brought from home, then we hurried out, dodging the medical staff in case they tried to stop me.

Neither of us spoke as we drove down the road in Uncle Dave's beat up red pick-up truck. I could tell he thought I'd lost it, but I loved him even more for catering anyway to my seemingly silly whim.

My heart pounded my ribcage as we drove up to the entrance to the park. It all looked similar...yet different. As soon as we were parked, I opened the door.

Uncle Dave grabbed my wrist. "I don't know what happened to you, Laura, but I can see something has you very agitated. Go on, take care of whatever is bothering you. I can see you need to be alone right now. I'll wait in the truck, but if you're not back in an hour, I'm going to look for you."

"Thanks, Uncle Dave." I reached over and hugged him, then jumped out and raced to the field.

Oh William, where are you? I ran to where I thought I had last seen him. "William?" I called out. But even as I did, I knew he wasn't there. Deep sadness like none I'd ever felt before threatened to overtake me. I slumped to the ground in tears. I'd lost him. Whatever had happened in the past, I'd lost him in any case.

Once my tears were spent, I stood and ambled toward the wooded area about the field. I could not face Uncle Dave just yet. I had to get my thoughts, not to mention my emotions, together first.

As I picked my way through the woods, carefully watching for hidden branches beneath the carpet of dried leaves, I thought I heard a horse snort. I looked up. Smoke rose from somewhere just ahead of me. My heart raced. I picked up the pace. And then I came to a clearing.

A man, dressed in dragoon uniform was huddled near a small fire.

"William?" My voice croaked though my lips.

The man stood and whirled around. Joy like nothing I'd ever felt before washed over me.

The man's bottom jaw dropped open. "Laura?"

In an instant I was in his arms. "Oh William. You're here! How–what happened? How did you–?"

"Have I ever told you, woman, you talk too much?" He smiled down into my eyes, then covered my mouth with his.

Epilogue

Close to a year has passed since my little adventure. It's been an interesting year with William. He is like a child in many ways, learning for the first time about modern life--things I used to take for granted. What fun it was to teach him to drive a stick shift!

I, myself, see things in a whole new light. Like...discovering everything for the first time all over again through his reactions. He's a different person. A little quiet at times, subdued, and I can't help but feel sorry for him. Not too much, just a little, for I can still see the proud, uncompromising man with whom I originally fell in love. Then again, I wouldn't want him to change too much.

He doesn't seem to regret spurring his horse after me that day on the battlefield, right into the "time cloud", and I don't think he feels he lost anything. He no longer had any real family attachments. But he is lost, in a world to which he's slowly adjusting. He devours books, especially British history, with a hunger for knowledge I've never seen before. He's also got this odd fascination for the state of Ohio. He won't explain it to me, but I suppose I'll have to take him there eventually.

We are planning a winter wedding. January 17. A colonial style celebration. I think that will make him a little more at home. And of course, I'll do anything I can to help him adjust. What can I say? I love him.

The End