A/N: Disclaimer: Refer back to Chapter 1.

WARNING: WAFF

Chapter 15: Epilogue

"Dad…Can we get that one? That pink balloon?"

"Amna, we have to get going, or your mom's going to kill us." the silver-haired man replied.

The purple-haired child frowned at her father, "Awww…!" she complained; pouting.

"Come on." he urged his daughter, taking her small hand in his as they prepared to exit the park.

He looked at his daughter from the corner of his eyes and noted the melancholy expression that she wore.

He sighed; she was still a bit sore about that balloon, wasn't she…? Well, it couldn't really be helped anyway. She had many balloons at home, and then of course, there was his wife. He sweat-dropped at that. He didn't want her to think that he was spoiling their little girl! He'd get the boot if she thought that…!

And he didn't want that.

He didn't know how long he had been caught up in his thoughts until…

"Daddy watch out!"

He didn't have time to react before…

"Ugh!" he groaned.

"Whoops!"

…Before he had collided into someone.

Serph, finding that he had stumbled and fallen onto the ground, immediately stood and offered his hand to the person that he had bumped and apparently, knocked over and spoke, "Are you alright ma'am?"

The woman, who fell on her belly turned and there their eyes met.

Pink met silver.

At that point, Serph felt all the hair on his body stand on one end. He felt his heart skip a beat as a face that he had not seen in a long, long time, suddenly emerge for him to see…

"A-Argilla…?"

The woman seemed to have recognized him as her pink eyes widened and there, spoke, "S-Serph…? Is that you…?"

Without further thought, as her eyes continued to search his, her hand met his and allowed him to pull her back to her feet.

Once on steady ground, and the trance broken, Serph gave her a cheerful smile, "Yea. It's me. Argilla…you…" he stopped as he looked at her from head to toe.

She had grown even more beautiful than he remembered. Nothing in her had changed. Her figure and her skin hadn't changed at all; there was still quite the twinkle in her eyes that he knew and loved so well…

"I see that you've finally reached your dream." he commented as he pointed to her long and silky pink locks, let loose, that reached her knees.

Argilla, seeing where his eyes were glued, lightly touched her pink locks and slightly blushed, "Oh this…? Well…yea."

She then looked him over and grinned, "Well, I see you've changed…!" she commented with a small laugh, noticing the small lines that appeared near his eyes. How old was he now, she wondered…? In his early thirties…? He was probably still a workaholic, eh?

Her eyes meandered to the rest of him and was pleased to know that yes, he did change. His height had increased; somewhat and he had gained a bit more weight, which filled his body with justice.

But no matter how much older he had gotten, he still possessed that boyish smile that she had once loved him for.

"So…What's new? Where've you been all this time…?" he started to ask, keen and eager to hear her stories.

He wanted to know her all over again. As he stood there, with her, he felt the world freeze; he felt as though only she and he existed.

He felt as though…

'…As though I were twenty-four again.'

He held his breath for a second and prepared a barrage of questions when a sound shattered all the fantasies that he had been having in his head.

"Mama…!"

He froze.

Once more, he found himself within reality.

"Here Zieggy…! Mum's right here…! I'm so sorry about that…! Did mummy hurt you?" Argilla spoke as she turned around and attended to the toddler who sat on the pavement impatiently.

Serph could only look on as she cooed and calmed the little boy down when suddenly he felt another hand in his own, "Daddy…?"

He froze.

'Amna. I've completely forgotten all about her.'

"Daddy…? Who's that?" she asked, pointing at the pink-haired stranger.

Serph smiled, "An old friend." He could tell that she wanted to pursue the matter with another question and so, he cut her off, "Say, why don't you go and get that pink balloon?"

"For real…!?" exclaimed the little girl.

He nodded.

Without another thought, the purple-haired girl ran for her balloon.

Seeing that she had reached her destination, Serph turned to his pink-haired friend, "So, married huh?"

Argilla, who by now carried her little boy, smiled at Serph, "Yea. I am." she admitted, "And so are you."

He nodded, "Yes. And look at you; a mum too?"

She giggled, "Yes. Two boys; twins. This one is named Ezekiel and he's just turned three. My other little boy is named Lucius." she told him proudly.

He smiled, clearly charmed at the quaint bundle in her arms. But then, he raised an eyebrow, "Erm…Not to offend you or anything but…I only see one little boy."

She smiled, "The other one's with my husband."

At that point, Serph was overwhelmed with curiosity to know who she had married and was poised to ask her about it when the little boy's hair caught his attention.

Red.

He blinked.

"Argilla."

Both he and Argilla turned to the voice from the other side and there, his question was answered. There, on the horizon, with a little boy in his arms stood Argilla's husband, looking at the both of them calmly.

Turning his eyes back to her, "So…um…you married Heat…?" he asked lowly, a bit timidly; more timid than he intended.

Argilla looked at him and nodded, "Yea. I did."

"When…?"

He didn't know what came over him; he knew that it wasn't his business but…he just had to ask.

"A few months after I left the bank." she responded.

'A few months after she left the bank…?' he asked internally, 'That's a few months after we broke up…' he thought knowingly.

"Well enough about me…! Well it seems you've become a parent too…!" she told him, wiggling her eyebrows.

He chuckled lightly, "Yes. One little girl. We've named her Amna."

"A beautiful name. How old is she now?"

Serph crossed his arms comfortably, still having his smile and responded without hesitation, "She's six."

"Oh…! How cute…!" she exclaimed.

Both parents nodded but then fell silent as a gentle and cool breeze swept in between them. Neither said a word as they continued to peer into the other's eyes. A second later, Argilla finally broke the stilled moment.

"Oh Serph. I'd love to talk to you some more but…I need to go." she told him regretfully.

It was at that point did he remember his life once more. Again, he remembered his responsibilities…and his duties as a father, as a husband…

"Right. Me too. I'll…see you around Argilla." he told her, once more holding out his hand.

She took it without hesitation and there gave his hand a very firm and reassuring shake.

The two broke apart a moment later and there walked away in opposite directions…

…Just as they had years prior.

Neither said anything but both felt it. Both felt that electrifying jolt from the other's hand. Both saw within the other's eyes all of the passion and memories of their life together that they had sworn they had forgotten.

And although neither of them said anything, both heard the calming whispers of the other's heart, telling them that whatever they had had together, whatever it was they shared and cherished were not forgotten, were not thrown away in the ages of time, but lay dormant within.

He smiled warily at that realization.

He still loved her, didn't he…?

He had heard her heart from afar…

He wondered, if she heard his too…?

As they got further and further away from one another, a gentle smile found itself upon his lips.

And though his daughter ran to him and held his hand securely, his thoughts remained with his pink-haired friend.

As his eyes met his daughter's purple eyes did his heart flutter in appreciation.

'Thank you Argilla…You've…you've taught me a lot.'

'You've taught me how to love myself…and how to truly love another.'

'I'll never forget you.'

'And I'll always be eternally grateful.'

xxxx

'I've always thought that love knew no bounds…and that no race, no color or creed would get in its way…'

'I still believe that…'

'However…'

'I cannot discern all the pain that I've felt all those years ago…when you left me; when I realized that you cannot fight for me, that you cannot choose me…'

'I am not angry anymore Serph.'

'I understand; completely.'

'You broke my heart and left me shattered.'

'But when you did, I've realized something. I realized that you've given me something else; something more than just pain…'

'You've given me a window of opportunity to love you. You've given me the opportunity to take a chance and love a man from a faith and culture that differed from my own…'

'And although our love has not led us to live a life together, our memories will always live on; within you and within me.'

'And though our paths may never cross again, I'll always have you in my most distant and vaguest of dreams.'

'For loving me, for letting me love you, I thank you my friend. I'll be forever in your debt.'

xxxx

Dreams are often interpreted as desires that can never be achieved in the wakefulness of reality. They often represented fantasies that lay hidden, suppressed or dormant within the subconscious of one's mind.

And their love was no different.

The love that they had shared had appeared suddenly and had left just as sudden. It had been vague and intense; passionate yet subtle.

The love they shared was short.

But they loved a lifetime's worth.

The love that they had shared wasn't wrong, per se. Love was unconditional. Love saw things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Love was flawless…

But in the world of humans, of people…of individuals, flaws come not from love, but from the people who feel it.

The mistake lay not with the feeling of being in love…but by the fact that neither Serph nor Argilla was prepared to undertake its challenges, its hardships and tests.

And most importantly, they were ill-prepared to see and accept each other.

Perhaps they would meet again, in another lifetime, when the world would acknowledge them; when they themselves are both ready, heart and soul, to receive the other.

The love they shared was both real…and unreal.

'It was surreal.' Serph thought evenly, a smile in his face, unknowing that his exact thoughts were being thought of by someone else…

'Hahaha…Like dreams.' Argilla internally chirped.

Both closed their eyes, not knowing that their thoughts had intermingled and merged…into one.

'It was just like a dream.'

'Like dreams in the mist…'

xxxx

FIN

A/N:

Imari-chan, it's finally over! I hope it lived up to your expectations with regards to your set parameters.

I'm expecting your feedback in my PM Imari.