Here we are: The final chapter of this story. Thanks to everybody who's reviewed throughout this story, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have to say, I probably feel more satisfied with this story than any of my past works. As always, All Reviews are Welcome.

Godzilla is © Toho. The Gryphon is © TriStar. The concept of the Husks is © TriStar. The name for the Husks is © Me.

KING OF THE MONSTERS

Godzilla stood at the end of the George Washington Bridge, surrounded by flames, smoke, the rubble of crushed buildings, twisted girders and the decapitated, flaming corpse of the Gryphon.

He had won; his revenge was his, but it had not been easy. Even though he was beginning to heal already, the battle had been fierce, and his injuries had been great. He was weakened, and most of all, he was tired.

Tina and Tomoyuki ran through the streets behind Godzilla, across the rubble that remained in the middle of the buildings they had ploughed through, arriving before the bridge as Godzilla turned to the water.

"He did it," Tina gasped, relief and exhilaration starting to flow through her as she broke into a cheer, "Yes! He did it!"

"He won," Tomoyuki whispered, remaining calm even as the smile widened on his face, "Eons of terror… and now it's over."

"Tina!" Jill's voice interrupted them suddenly. Tina turned to see Jill running towards her, with Jack, Plaqueze and Mike behind her. Instead of the shouting contest Tina had been expecting, Jill pulled her daughter into a hug so tight that she was sure it would give her back problems in later life. "Oh, thank God…"

"Guess who knew who won," Jack grinned as he saw Godzilla walking away from the Gryphon's burning remains, "Man that's cool."

"The dead alien?" Mike asked.

"No, him," Jack pointed to Godzilla, "He just fought the mother of all fights, trashed a huge chunk of New York- which the tax payers will probably have to pay for -and now he's just walking away like nothing even happened!"

The sound of three roaring engines suddenly sounded overhead, the three F-22 fighter craft equipped with their napalm warheads closing in on the weakened Godzilla.

"Now they show up," Plaqueze grunted.

"Major," A voice crackled over Jill's radio, "You've been given command of the operation. Permission to fire?"

"You can't," Tina pleaded, "Mom, he saved me. Deliberately, and he left himself exposed doing it. He saved me, he saved Tomoyuki, he saved everybody!"

Jill didn't answer, watching Godzilla as he continued to move away, now waist-deep in water. She lifted the radio to her ear and spoke:

"Withdraw."

"…Major?"

"That's an order. Withdraw."

"Roger that," The pilot answered. "Alpha 2 and 3, withdraw."

The three craft changed direction in the air, turning away from Godzilla as he moved out into the water.

"Thank you," Tina smiled.

"Guess I owe it…" Jill bit her touch, "I owe him that much."

"Never though I'd see the day," Mike chuckled.

"Neither did I," Jill admitted, "I guess things like this put things in perspective. Make you consider things. Make you… move on, I suppose."

"Very deep," Jack smiled, "Now if nobody minds, I'm gonna go home and sleep for a very long time."

"What about him?" Plaqueze asked, pointing to the wake forming where Godzilla was vanishing between the waves.

"Well," Jill smiled, "I suppose we can leave him be unless he decides to cause trouble again."

"Tina?" Mike asked, "You OK?"

"Yeah," Tina answered, finally looking away from the horizon, "Just…"

"You've been through a lot," Tomoyuki told her sympathetically. "I suppose it's time I got back to Japan. My family will be wanting to know whether I'm still in one piece."

"Well I've got a girlfriend to get back together with," Mike chimed in. "See you tomorrow… in the office that just got trashed by giant monsters."

"Guess we'd better get started fixing it," Jill offered up, the entire group turning away from the waterfront. Only Tina remained, taking another glance at the spot where Godzilla had been.

"'Sup?" Jack asked, turning back and walking over to her.

"Just thinking," Tina replied, "Wondering where he's going."

"Who knows? Some Island somewhere? Anyway," Jack admitted, "I don't think we've seen the last of him. Corny as that sounds. Besides, you look like you could use something to eat."

"How about Pizza?" Tina smiled. "Oh: And you're paying. I get monster-waker-upper's privelige."

They both turned back towards the damaged New York skyline, Tina taking one last glance at the water.

Even after all that, Godzilla was still somehow a mystery. What he was, how he worked, where he came from… had he saved her out of the goodness of his heart, or some innate sense of honour? Had he stopped the Gryphon for himself, or for the Earth? Odds were, nobody would ever know.

And maybe, she thought, that wasn't such a bad thing.

All she knew was this: If this world was ever again in need of a protector… if he was needed…

Godzilla would be back.

THE END