SUPER-SINNER-SPECIAL-STRIKE! I would like to thank:

Cereah- Your reviews are always a pleasure to read, they just brighten up my day with each chapter I publish. I appreciate that. ^^ Thank you for being so patient with me!

Princesa de la Luna- I understand your concern for my slow laziness with updates. Hey, I am too! So thanks for the constant "short and sweet" reviews and your support.

Battle-Royalist- I love Joshua too. Hehe! Thanks for reviewing!

hinatablueeyes708- Alright, my first reviewer! Thank you so very much for reviewing.

AzmariaHarmony- Thank you for the review!

Maryannie101- Thank you for the review!

And here we are, at the end. This is the canon ending for this fanfic, the alternate ending after this is based on a plot bunny that I just had to get down after finishing the epilogue.

Disclaimer: Chrono Crusade and all its characters rightfully belong to Daisuke Moriyama-sama. x3

A Future With You (epilogue)

Heidi's past, was akin to a flash in a pan.

Yet it was not completely filled with sadness and regret...for she had gone through it with optimism and radiance...a radiance that even the darkest of this era could obscure. A radiance that brought light to the world.

This is a story of a long time ago...about people who have long gone, engraved permanently into the annals of history.

The story of a loyally determined guardian under sorcery, who fell for a misunderstood apostle of hope.

…

~Seventh Bell Orphanage, Michigan~

Eight years later…

Azmaria, Joshua and I were riding a car down the road to the orphanage. I got out of the car when I arrived and entered the door. I was greeted by smiles and waves of gratitude.

Nelly rushed into the room, "Joshua! You're back!"

"Ah – mornin' Nelly!" he replied.

"Long time no see, Mrs Gene." I said.

One of the kids spoke up, "Hey, Azmaria! Rosette's in her room."

The three of us rushed to Rosette's room and burst through the door.

"Rosette!" we all shouted.

She was sitting up in bed and a doctor was sitting in a chair beside her, "Oh, it's you three. Welcome back!"

Joshua looked confused, "The heck? She still looks like she's ready to pick a fight anytime!"

"Heh..but, isn't she always...?" I added.

"Yeah," said Rosette, " I have not yet lost the strength to bang the both of your heads together...wanna try?"

"Do you mind not barging in on the patient like this?" said the Doctor, Elizabeth.

"Uh – right!" I bowed, "Our apologies."

Azmaria sighed in relief, "Phew...when I heard you fainted I was so worried."

"Well, since you can still spew venomous threats..I'll give you a clean bill of health then." The Doctor concluded.

"Liz!" Rosette exclaimed, "Do you want me to crack your skull too?"

"Oh yeah…got a letter for you from the people at the Order. Here." I handed Rosette an envelope and she opened it.

"WOW! Sure brings back memories... Heey...this is Steiner isn't it?" she said.

"(How time flies...all of us have left that day behind. And now...we can finally enjoy ourselves.)" I grinned happily and leaned on Joshua's shoulder as Rosette read out the letters.

…

Joshua joined the Order, and is now helping out with Relief efforts in New York...perhaps he's trying to atone for his sins. Sister Kate has not changed a single bit, she's still firm on dedicating her life to the frontlines. Father Gilliam's been reassigned to New York, he now serves as Sister Kate's aide. Father Remington resigned from the Militia, he's now the head priest from a small parish church. As for the other Apostles, manipulators of the Astral Line...After that day, they reverted back to their normal selves. It's as if they were lifted from a terrible curse.

Joshua, Azmaria, even I lost all my powers...what we 'saw' in Pandaemonium...voices of the dead and forbidden knowledge...these visions vanished from their memories too. In short, we all went back to living ordinary lives. I think...this is how it'll be for everyone. And then...

…

Azmaria and I were talking to Doctor Elizabeth.

I put my hands to my mouth and lightly gasped in response to what was being said.

"Is that true?" Azmaria asked.

"I'm afraid so..." replied Doctor Elizabeth, "Her prognosis isn't promising...She's in the advanced stages of progeria... Right now, only her willpower is keeping her going" She faced the both of us with a very serious expression, "The next time she acts up...I don't think she'll make it."

…

I was walking down the hall to Rosette's room with Azmaria.

"I wish I could do something..." I said, "Even though it's been 8 whole years, I still wish I was that strong Guardian I was back then."

"Don't say that! You've been with us all the way." said Azmaria, "Rosette may be weak right now, but you heard what Doctor Elizabeth said. If she's strong enough to endure her weak state and live her life to the fullest, she will not die misleadingly."

I chuckled lightly and smiled, "You're right. And I've still got you and Joshua to rely on, the same way she has us."

We both made it to the door and opened it quietly.

"Huh?" I let out.

I could see Joshua standing next to Rosette on the balcony outside the room. There was a wonderful lightshow happening in the sky.

"Wow...the Aurora Borealis is so clear this night..." said Rosette, "It's like, I could reach out my hand and touch it!"

Azmaria and I stepped onto the balcony.

"And the remains of Pandaemonium..." Rosette continued, "Must be somewhere out there..."

"I too, have someone yet to thank..." said Joshua, "I waited and waited...for her to come back...and realized that...it can be very tiring."

"Yup! But all the more we should keep on waiting, you know." Rosette advised.

I thought of what Joshua said, "Huh..."

Then, realizing what he meant, I pulled a puffy and envious facial expression. I walked up to stand behind him and slumped my arm around his neck to the point where I was going make his head into a knuckle sandwich, despite how much taller he was.

"You're not going on about that promiscuous tramp again are you?" I asked with suspicion.

"Uh –" he began to say.

Azmaria was worried, "Heidi!"

"Give him a break, Heidi." said Rosette, "She did look after him during the years we searched for him."

I loosened my grip on Joshua, "I suppose...but I'm still a little upset at the fact that she replaced you, Rosette." I sighed, "Ah well, it's all in the past now."

"Ah, but you said you never held grudges..." said Azmaria.

My cheeks puffed, "This is different!"

Joshua was unsure how to act, "Uh..."

"Joshua." Rosette said after him.

"Yes?"

"Don't you have something to tell Heidi?" she prompted.

"Uh..R-right..."

I glanced at him, "Tell me what?"

"It's...complicated..." he pulled an awkward smile.

"Complicated?" I echoed, "Well, if it's a problem you know you can tell me. We only tell eachother everything, right?"

Joshua stood there quietly and gulped in that short moment.

"Go on then…" Rosette urged.

Azmaria was confused, "What's going on, Rosette? Joshua?"

I waited for an answer until Joshua reached out and held my hands, looking deep into my eyes.

"Heidi..." he said, "I love you..so much, you know that, don't you?"

"Yes, and I feel the same way for you." I answered.

"I know, we've been through a lot. And we were able to catch up on everything that's happened these past few years...I...want to spend the rest of my life with you."

I was incredulous, "Joshua, you're starting to sound overly cheesy..."

Rosette laughed lightly, then Joshua let go of both my hands, reached into his pocket, and went down on one knee in front of me.

"Heidi, will you marry me?"

I gasped, putting my hands to my mouth as I was astonished at what I saw. There, in Joshua's hand, he held out a small velvet box with a silky interior, and right in the centre of it all, was a priceless engagement ring.

"I...uh..um..." My mind was reeling with meaningless thoughts, and then...I pulled the ring out of the box and put it on my finger. I held out my hand to watch it glint in the moonlight.

"...Yes."

Joshua was lost for words, "...You – GAH!"

I ran into Joshua hugging him so hard I almost tackled him over, "Yes! I will! I will wed with you!"

…

Everyone, including my friends Jasmine and XiaoXiao, were there to celebrate the wedding ceremony. Joshua and I said our vows while Father Remington 'married' us both. XiaoXiao was in drastic tears of joy when she watched me walk down the aisle.

I held the bouquet of flowers in front of me, ready to throw it to the group of women behind me.

I heard Rosette say, "Aim for the left!"

Then Jasmine say, "No, no! Aim for the right!"

"The center!" came Sister Anna's voice.

"Aim far behind you!" called Sister Mary.

Azmaria stood beside them smiling awkwardly at their behavior.

"Okay, you girls all ready?" Covering my eyes with my other hand, I tossed the bouquet over my head and listened for the voice of the winning girl.

I turned around, hearing the groans of the other girls, to see Nelly waving it around victoriously. The guests applauded and it was Joshua's turn to throw the bride's garter. I watched him throw it at the crowd of men, when they moved back to reveal the catcher. I saw-

"Heehee, and while you're at it, why don't you toss over another piece of lingerie?" The Elder was twirling the garter around his finger.

"You scrooge!" I glared at him.

"Remember," he said, "You're not officially spouses till the end of the 'earthquake' on the honeymoon."

Joshua and I flinched back, our faces red, "G-HUH?"

Rosette seemed to be withholding her anger, "One of these days, Elder..one of these days..."

When everyone had gathered at the cake and only Rosette, Joshua, Azmaria and I were left standing...

"...Joshua, Heidi, Azzy..give me your hands." Rosette ordered.

I hesitated at first but soon did as she said, Rosette held all our hands together with her own.

"As long as a memory of a person remains...that person will live on...in our hearts." She said, "That's why...I will not die...as long as you're still alive!"

…

Months later, in the following year...Rosette left us, all of us...forever. She died peacefully..with a smile on her face. Even now, the memory remains etched vividly in my mind.

Still, I'll never forget everything she taught me.

…

I was frustrated with having to hone my skills as an amateur sorcerer, "ARGH! I'll never get this right!"

"You will, just take my advice." Rosette informed.

I sighed, "Alright. I guess I'll have to believe you."

"Good." She said, "Because only those who believe will be saved. So they say, get it? Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

I giggled, "Hehehe...thanks."

"No problem." She smiled.

…

I was talking to Azmaria two days after Rosette's burial, "I'm…so glad to have met someone like Joshua."

"You are a very lucky person, Heidi." She said to me.

"Mm-hm." I nodded, "I know that now, I'll just live on and take things as they come and go."

Joshua was talking with another Sister, when she had done talking to him and walked off. He saw me standing from a distance and waved.

I smiled, and waving back, I said to Azmaria, "You know, Joshua showed me a book a long time ago that ended with an interesting quote. Just keep on going till it all stops flowin'."

The End

Be sure to visit my Deviantart and download the wallpaper I made for this fanfic...hope all you delightful wombles like it. ^^

The quote comes from the book Letters from the Inside by John Marsden. It's a good book!
Looks like this story has ended. Thank you, thank you all SO much for reading my chapters in order and keeping me occupied. Thank you Fanfic-pickers, reviewers, and readers. Thank you to ALL of the loyal wombles, I luffle you all!

I had a blast! I'm sure you did too. =D