Sometimes things don't work out the way we planned.
To live is just to fall asleep, to die is to awaken.
Maybe were meant to lose the ones we love,
But I'll fight for you 'til then.
And if they stole you from me,
On my arm there's a tattoo of your name.
Million Dollar Houses (The Painter), Pierce The Veil

Chapter Eleven: Glass

"I'm waiting for the punch line." Kimbley just shrugged sheepishly.

"Just because I admitted that I love you only a couple of days ago, doesn't mean the feelings weren't already there."

"So, what? You had a ring with you the whole time?" As I mentioned the ring, I took the time to appreciate the beauty of it. The silver band had soft impressions of vines going all the way around. The pedestal that held the Philosopher's stone was actually a blooming rose - the stone acted as the rosebud.

"No," He chuckled briefly. "I made the ring while you slept." My eyes went wide. I could barely control myself; gripping the velvet box tightly and wrapping my arms around his neck. I was so happy, I was one the verge of tears. "So?" Kimbley chimed when he untangled us from our embrace. "Your answer?" I looked at him dumbfounded, as if my answer was the most obvious thing in the world. Oh wait, it was.

With my arms still hanging around his neck, I slipped the ring onto the proper finger before happily thanking him via kiss. My cheeks became wet - I hadn't even realized that tears began to fall.

"Why are you crying?" He murmured, hoisting me up so I could wrap my legs around his abdomen. His thumbs brushed along my cheeks, wiping away the tears.

"I'm just so incredibly happy right now."

"I will, once you say it."

"Say what?"

"That you'll marry me." My legs wrapped together around his waist so that my forehead could settle on his.

"Zolf J. Kimbley, you are more than the world to me. You are my veins that carry blood and love throughout my body to keep me alive. Without you, there is no me. I want to be by your side forever - as your wife." A lengthy, beautiful silence hung in the air as his lips were tender on mine.

"Quite a beautiful speech." Kimbley joked when he pulled away. My legs gave, and no longer allowed me to hang onto him. Instead, I had settled for wrapping my arms around his waist with my temples tucked over his heart. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat made me wonder: How was he so at ease?

"How on Earth are you so calm right now?" I felt him let out something short of snort before resting his chin atop the crown of my head.

"Why wouldn't I be? The greatest woman in the world just agreed to marry me."

"I guess I'm the only one freaking out since the greatest person in the world just asked me to marry him." Again, I felt him chuckle lowly. Untangling our embrace once again, Kimbley grasped my hand before leading us to the shore of the oasis. He sat down, offering me a seat on his lap.

"Did you ever see yourself getting married?" He had asked, leaning back onto his palms and looking off into the endless distance. Well of course I did. Every girl dreams of getting married and imagines their wedding day. But for me, there was never a real groom. He always had generic features of a soft-spoken, artsy looking guy. Clearly that wasn't what was going to happen. "A soft-spoken artist?" Kimbley chuckled. "I must be a real disappointment to your fantasies."

"Wait, did I just say all that out loud?" He only nodded. "And you're not a disappointment." My arms wound around his neck, bringing him close enough that his signature, musky scent was the only thing that I could smell. "I would pick you over any soft-spoken artist any day. My point was that I never knew what kind of person I'd marry. I'm just glad I'm marrying you." He grinned while shutting his eyes, placing a kiss on my temple.

"Would it be weird if I told you I've had dreams about marrying you?"

"Depends, when did you have the dream?" Kimbley glanced up into the fallen sun, letting his trademark ponytail cascade into the sand.

"After you left when I kidnapped you." Holy shit, that was months ago. "At the time, I didn't know why I had those dreams. I figured it was because you're probably the only woman that deals with me." I let out a chuckle before comfortably watching the moon peek out with Kimbley. He lifted himself up so that he no longer relied on his palms to support him. Suddenly, I felt myself being pulled down so that the two of us were laying in the sand.

"Glad to be the only one that deals with you. Otherwise, I'd have some competition." It was his turn to let out some form of a chortle.

"I could have the whole world at my feet and there would still be no contest. At the end of the day, you're the one I want to fall asleep with and wake up to." How on Earth was a psychopathic bomber was just so utterly perfect was beyond me.

"Lt. Colonel Kimbley and Major Chevalier, Lt. Colonel Archer needs to see you two." Some messenger came to our dorm room after we returned from the oasis. He looked really anxious for some unknown reason when Kimbley had answered the knock on our door. The messenger left as soon as he possibly could.

"I guess we should get going?" My voice wavered with uncertainty. In response, Kimbley let out an unsatisfied groan before opening the door for me. As soon as it was shut, I felt his hand slip into mine while we walked side by side.

"I could get used to this." Kimbley hummed, making me breathe out an easy laugh.

"Zolf J. Kimbley, are you getting soft on me?" I felt that his cynical grin was going to prove me otherwise. He brought himself down so that his lips were at my ear.

"We both know I only go hard on you." A scoff followed the smack I brought to his cheek. He didn't even seem the slightest bit phased. Our banter ceased immediately as we entered Archer's temporary office. Reluctantly, we let go of each other's hands upon arrival. We stood at full attention, seeing Archer sitting at his desk with an obviously unsatisfied look on his face.

"You took are both being pulled off of this campaign." My body's first reaction was to stir with shock.

"And why is that?" Kimbley asked.

"You are both extraordinarily distracted from your missions. There's no reason for us to waste our time to keep you both here." I was about to interrupt, but I guess Archer noticed my mouth was open and ceased my opportunity. "You both best have your act together by the time this campaign is complete. Dismissed."

When we exited, I looked to my fiancé in disbelief. "We're going home?" It sounded odd. I was expecting to be away from Caden for so much longer, but of course, I was excited to see him again.

Then it sunk it.

I had forgotten that "home" was temporarily in the living dorms in South Headquarters. Kimbley must have noticed my suddenly sullen look, because he wrapped his arms around me in comfort.

"When we have everything settled back at our dorms in South, we'll go to Central to go see the little squirt." My mood lightened by the smallest fraction at the demeaning, yet affectionate, pet name for my little brother.

"Well, let's go pack our shit up so we can leave, okay?" Kimbley only gave a smirk before leading us back to our dorm.

"I fucking hate packing."

"Why's that?" Kimbley was currently laying on the bed, filing his nails just like back in Ishbal.

"I just feel like I'm going to lose something important." Though I was done packing, I still had that inkling sitting on my skin. Regardless, I laid beside him, watching him file his cuticles.

"Do you always do that when we're out here?" I asked jokingly, referring to his nails. He laughed along.

"Only when they're unkempt. Gotta look good for my lady after all." While chuckling, I snuggled into his side after he had placed the file onto a night stand. He wrapped an arm around me securely, allowing silence to fill the air.

"You're always perfect to me." I finally answered. "Regardless of how your nails are." Kimbley breathed out a small laugh before kissing my temple. It seemed that the little things about him didn't get past me; like the way he kept glancing down at my newly adorned engagement ring. "I'm never taking it off." I stated.

"What, your clothes? Dammit." Sigh. Regardless of how people viewed him, Kimbley's bittersweet personality was just one of a kind.

"No, stupid." At this, I smacked him "playfully" on his chest. "My ring. Or rather your ring. However you think of it as."

"Yours." He declared. "Because even if you try to leave me, the ring as well as my soul, heart and blood, are yous."

"Wait, blood?"

"Uh…well ya see…" Why did I have a feeling I was not going to like his answer. "When I said I made the ring, I made everything. Stone included." My jaw nearly unhinged. WHAT. THE. FUCK.

"ZOLF JACKASS KIMBLEY, WHAT THE FUCK?"

"Wait wait wait wait wait wait!" Kimbley exclaimed to attempt to get me to stop smacking him all over.

"Nobody was killed!"

"The fuck you mean nobody was killed, you created a -" Just in time, he smacked a hand over my mouth.

"Don't say it!" When he pulled his hand away, he rushed out an explanation. Probably so he could put an end to my horrendous screeching. "I used all of Tucker's filthy chimeras as ingredients, as well as Tucker himself since he really isn't even a human anymore." I rolled my eyes. Using the souls of low grade transmutations didn't make using them any better.

"Anything else you have to fucking tell me?"

"Uhh…" Seriously, there's even more? "Kidding." My hand whipped across his face as a reflex.

"I fucking hate you." Being about as mature as a five year old, I pouted and turned away from Kimbley. He followed suit after turning out the lights.

"No you don't, and we both know that." I didn't answer; he was right anyway.

The train ride back home was uneventful and silent for the most part. I probably got the worst sleep of my life thanks to these cursed, rock-solid benches. Surprisingly, Kimbley was quiet the whole train ride. Most likely due to the fact that he wasn't even in our car. He didn't come back until the final hour of the train ride. Despite my interrogation, he didn't clarify anything with me.

"Don't unpack anything," Kimbley stated when we had reached the familiar dormitories back at South Headquarters. "We'll head to Central tomorrow morning." A permanent grin permeated my face.

"Home?"

"Yes, home." It was impossible to control my happiness.

The air of Central was completely different compared to South's. Central was crisp and clean, while the South was thick and muggy. I was so ecstatic about being home that I was whistling while my luggage trailed behind me, Kimbley following the duck line after that.

I was surprised that I even remembered how to get home. An overwhelming sensation took over me as I reached inside an unopened pocket in my luggage to grab my house keys. I could hear the teeth of the key moving the tumblers into place before fully unlocking my walnut front door.

"Caden!" I called, excitement pumping erratically in my chest cavity. "I'm home!" I heard footsteps bounding down the stairs to have my not-so-little brother's arms wrap around my neck. They became slack in a matter of seconds, until he withdrew completely.

"What's he doing here?" The disgusted look on Caden's face when he noticed Kimbley reminded me of their only encounter - back when he kidnapped me.

"Families live together, don't they? And Since I'm gonna be your brother-in-law…" With my jaw dropped, I smacked Kimbley in the gut relentlessly.

"Zolf!"

"What?"

"You're marrying my sister?" From the look of it, Caden didn't know what to do. He just stood there, dizzy and dumbfounded. "When did all of this happen?"

"While we were in the desert." I answered hastily, just so Kimbley couldn't say something stupid. "We had a mission, but they made us leave so I wanted to come home for a bit."

"Glad your home, sis." I guess the shock wore off of him, because he took my luggage and placed it beside the sofa. "So I guess you'll have to get some wedding preparations done then, won't you?" It was weird, hearing that come out of my little brother's mouth, but I supposed he was right. Caden patted on the middle cushion, signaling for me to sit beside him. Graciously, I accepted, only to have Kimbley mimic me and sit on my right side and rest his chin on my shoulder.

"There isn't much to do." Ignoring Kimbley, I became engrossed in conversing with my younger brother. "After all, we're always on the move, I doubt we'll have time for a formal ceremony."

"Every girl has a dream wedding." Kimbley was paraphrasing what I had said back in the oasis in a mocking tone. "Don't pass yours up just because we're military." Funny how he could be a sarcastic asshole ninety-nine percent of the time, then magically turn serious. My eyes wandered to Caden's to gouge his reaction. Despite how sudden this all was, he was taking things quite well. It even seemed to me that he approved.

"I don't want some ridiculous ceremony…" I whined. "Just us three is fine. Maybe Haley and Lacey, but nobody else."

"Whatever you want, it's supposed to be your dream wedding."

"As long as you're a part of it."

This whole homecoming idea was fantastic. After having lunch with my fiancé and my brother, I'd gone out on my own in search of a dress. I didn't want anything extravagant, so I was hoping to find something sweetly simple.

I'd talked to a consultant and explained how there were only going to be a few witnesses. The middle-aged woman had offered me various selections to choose from. Albeit I had said that I wanted something more on the plain side, the gown that captured my interest was anything but. The shimmering ivory that made up the high-low cut of the skirt was only the prelude to the bodice. The corset lined bodice held pinstripes made of soft, pastel coral and turquoise beading.

Immediately after trying it on, I knew I had to have it. And not in some obsessive, rich snotty way. More in the likes of having it fit perfectly in both sizing and occasion. As soon as I had taken it off, I politely asked to have it wrapped.

Even though I wanted to give it some waiting time, Kimbley insisted our wedding happen while we were still in Central. There was no point in arguing with him either, since he always pulled the puppy-dog look. We still had a couple of days for downtime, since we had just arrived. Though only a short amount of time had elapsed, I noted that Caden was trying to become accustomed to having Kimbley around. He was actually doing surprisingly well, too. Sure, Kimbley was still somewhat of a stranger to him, but being the respectable young gentleman that I had raised him to be, he was being as polite as he possibly could to welcome him to our family.

"So you're moving back to South Headquarters soon then, aren't you?" Caden questioned while the three of us sat at the dinner table. I looked over at him on my right side, letting sorrow get the better of me temporarily.

"Unfortunately, yes. It is where we're stationed at the moment."

"Don't worry about it, squirt." Kimbley announced after swallowing down his current mouthful. "I'll try to get us transferred back here as soon as I can."

"How?" Both my brother and I asked simultaneously. He only answered with a wink offered in my direction. Great, more secrets.

Ignoring Caden's constant protests ("Sis, you need rest!"; "Please, just leave it to me!"; etc.), I had the dishes done and put away straight after dinner. Kimbley followed me up to my bedroom so the two of us could retire for the evening. It'd been such a long time - maybe about three months or so - since I'd last seen my own bedroom. The cream colored walls looked absolutely foreign to me.

"Man, who knew that you lived like a princess?" Kimbley joked while his eyes were drawn to the golden, sheer canopy hanging over my bed. I knew he was just tempted to touch and test out every little thing, almost like a small child. To set an example, I'd gone off to my master bath to change into a fresh night gown - despite it still being early evening. Kimbley's only response was to quirk a brow when I had tossed my dirty uniform into a hamper in my linen closet. "Am I getting a taste of royalty?" My immediate response was to roll my eyes, but I just laid down instead.

"Sort of." I chimed. "Come here." I beckoned him over while I sat with my back along the headboard. Though he approached, each step was swaying with caution. As he got to the edge, I patted the space between my legs. "Come and sit." I repeated. He finally complied, resting his shoulder blades on my stomach. Immediately, my fingers wrapped around his broad, muscular shoulders, feeling the wound knots tighten before unraveling.

Kimbley heaved a content breath, fully sinking into my fingers. In a lackadaisical manner , he leaned his head back. Clearly his eyes were drooping, battling rationality to stay awake. A soft chuckle escaped my breath before my lips pressed to his temple. "Get some rest, we have a busy week ahead of us." In sluggish pursuit, Kimbley pulled himself onto a pillow beside me. I turned out the light on one of the nightstands, allowing the moons natural glow to flood the room.

The night always got me thinking about everything an nothing at the same time. Right now, all I seemed to do was reflect back on all the events that have occurred throughout the last year or so. When Edward, Alphonse, and I had broke into Laboratory Five, it was around late October of last year. Now it was mid-July, and I am getting married. It seems like a such a rush, but I can't help but feel that maybe it was meant to be this way. Maybe it was just delayed because Kimbley was supposed to be executed.

I'm not afraid of our future, because even if he doesn't realize it, Kimbley's changed. Sure, he is still bomb-happy and sadistic, but he's so much more gentle and open rather than blunt. A lot of people, if any at all, maybe see his change as good thing. But, if I only confessed my love to him after he had changed, did I ever really love him?

'Of course you did,' A voice argues. 'You were torn apart when you watched him get taken away, and thought he had died. You fell into depression and cried out of sheer agony. When you found him imprisoned, you rejoiced. If a person's existence overwhelms you so much that you would react to them in such ways, then there's no denying the fact that you love them.' I wasn't sure where that voice was coming from, but they surely had a point.

"Faythe…?" Though I hadn't realized I was watching over Kimbley (literally hovering over him), I looked down at him while resting back on my elbow. "You're crying…"

"Huh?" He sat up and raised a slender finger to wipe the tears that I didn't even know fell.

"What's the matter?" Instead of a direct answer, I laid down with my head relaxing on my satin-clad pillow. I didn't know how to answer him, so I only replied with, "Just thinking."

"Are you afraid?" The look on his face no longer looked foreign to me, like it used to. A look so soft, almost forlorn. At least I knew why now. It must have been all the guilt that nearly consumed him.

"Of what?"

"Our future."

"As long as we've each other, there's nothing to be afraid of." Kimbley's arms and legs wound tightly around me before he gently brought his smooth lips to mine.

"You're so cheesy," He teased. "But I love you anyway."

Barely two days passed, but there I stood, arms linked with my little brother's. We both decided against a large wedding, but Kimbley had won the argument about holding a "proper" ceremony. I guess he's just lucky I'm a fan of getting dolled up. Lacey and Haley both came as witnesses, though I hadn't seen hem in so long. They hadn't changed a bit.

The ceremony seemed to take forever, but eventually we exchanged out vows and "I do's" to receive our wedding bands and the official title as "Mr. and Mrs. Zolf J. Kimbley." The five of us had gone out afterwards, remaining in our ceremonial outfits to symbolize the importance of today. I guess my dress drew lots of attention, since I received lots of stares, but Kimbley made it very clear that it was our wedding day.

"What a fantastic day." Caden remarked. "But…" He began rummaging around the pockets in his blazer while I struggled to slip off my strappy silver heels. He placed countless handfuls of cassette tapes on the table. "Since there was no reception, the bride and groom didn't get to have their first dance." Without saying anything else, Caden fled upstairs, leaving the newly weds to sort through the tapes. The labels weren't very helpful, since the only had titles of songs that I'd never heard of.

"Let's try this one." Kimbley picks up a cassette labeled "Kissing in Cars." With a shrug, I place it into an ancient player, allowing the film to unravel soft strums of a guitar. "Shall we?" He held his hand out, awaiting for me to place my own. A silly smile fluttered on my lips before complying.

"I'm warning you now," My arms were resting on his shoulders, while his were on my hips. "I can't dance." Kimbley's only reaction was to guffaw at my verbal precaution.

"What makes you think I've danced with a person in my entire life?"

"Well, I'm not your first kiss, or the first one you've slept with. Obviously, you've been with women before." I wasn't angry about it, either. There was no point in getting mad when the past is just the past. Once again, he gave a laugh as he pressed his forehead to mine.

"You are the only woman I've made love to, first of all."

"Ugh, don't call it that. It sounds awkward."

"But it's true." The ape had stopped, but we still stood there, entranced by our embrace. "There's a different. Having sex is practically meaningless. But making love? It's a wonderful thing. And I'm glad I was with you."

"Aw," I cooed. "Who's being cheesy now?" He basically ignored my juvenile banter and continued on with his explanation. "You may not have been my first kiss, but you are definitely my last. And, you're the only woman I have ever fallen in love with."

"Good grief Zolf, you're going to make me cry." Again, his chest rolled in laughter.

"I love you Mrs. Kimbley."

"I love you too, Kimbley." Just as our lips were mere centimeters apart, the sound of shattering glass resonated from the second floor. My maternal instinct caused me to tear myself away from him.

"Caden?" I called out as I made my way up the stairs, Kimbley in hot pursuit of me. The door to his room had been wide open, though I wished it wasn't. A shrill scream left my lungs as pure instinct.

"Well well, if it isn't the Chevalier girl." A sultry, somewhat feminine voice chimed. "Or rather, Kimbley's new whore?"

"Shut the fuck up, Envy!"

"Speak of the devil." My jaw became slack and tear fell uncontrollably as an ape-like creature unhinged his mouth and literally devoured my brother, limb by limb.

"What are you guys doing here?" Kimbley snarled.

"Just sending a lovely reminder to you about collecting ingredients for us." The androgynous man, supposedly called Envy, jerked a thumb at the cannibal. "This is merely a warning, Kimbley. Do your job or she's," His pail index finger was pointed at me now. "next." By the time they had left, I was trembling.

"Faythe…"

"He's really gone." There were no possible words of condolence. All I could do was sob. What was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life was now tainted with the death and disappearance of my little brother. "I…I-I have to get him back!"

"Faythe, you can't. He's gone." My knees buckled and caused me to collapse. Kimbley knelt at my side, holding me as I wept.

"This isn't real." The chant was practically oxygen for me. I hadn't even noticed that Kimbley had picked me up off the ground and brought us to our bedroom.

"I will get him back, Faythe." He vowed, nearly crushing my body to his. I couldn't respond, though I desperately wanted to question him. Instead I continued to bawl until I wore myself out and an empty fatigue had taken over.

I couldn't remember how I woke up or when I did. All I noticed was that I was alone this morning. Alone. I was much more than lonely, I was broken, shattered. Now my husband was missing as well. When I really concentrated about it, Kimbley and I would be heading back to South headquarters soon, and now there was nothing to look forward to when we came home. Besides him, I had nothing.

The bedroom door opened, revealing Kimbley holding a rather massive tray of food. "Oh. I didn't realize you were awake." He placed the tray on the nightstand, kissed my forehead, and helped me sit up straight. "We should probably start packing soon. We need to get back to South Headquarters." I didn't say anything, just continued to let him feed me the breakfast he had prepared. "Faythe, you need to rest some more." He was being so gentle. Feeding me, making me breakfast in bed. Did I really look that fragile? Probably.

"Okay." He couldn't even smile. In fact, he kind of looked like he wanted to cry. Eyes that wanted to cry, but a body that didn't know how. That sounded quite accurate.

"Please, rest." Begging didn't seem to suit him either. Regardless, I gave in when he had left our room. My eyes shut through my mind was absolutely restless. There was a constant nagging at the back of my head, something pestering me to make things right. I knew how.

My parents were under-the-table researchers; naturally their work contained findings of taboo. When they had passed away, I scrounged through their research to find a way to bring them back. However, I had never been in possession of a Philosopher's stone, nor was I comfortable sacrificing humans to bring my parents back, just to have them be slaves to the state.

"But you have a Philosopher's stone." A small, whimsical voice trilled. Right, my engagement ring! But, did I really want to use something so important and sentimental to bring my little brother back?

"Of course I do." I argued to myself aloud. With my adamant reasoning, I pulled myself out of bed, dragging my feet hypnotically to the scene of the heinous crime. Even though I felt extremely tense with where I was, I forced myself to try to find any remains of his human body. Much to my disgust, there was blood and chunks of skin that hadn't been completely absorbed by the carpeting. For a quick fix, I ran my fingers along Caden's wooden bed frame until a splinter pricked my finger. Blood began to drip from my finger, allowing me to begin to draw out the complex transmutation circle. Everything my blood began to clot over the wound, I'd stab a different finger with the woodchip and allowed the blood to spurt.

It took me quite awhile, but I had finally finished the transmutation circle. For the body components, aside from Caden's remains, I'd gathered them from my parents research closet outside their study, just down the hall from Caden's room. As the final ingredient, though it took a tremendous amount of effort, I took of my engagement ring.

"Faythe, what the fuck are you doing?" Just as my hands were about to activate the flow of energy, Kimbley's arms encircled my waist to yank me away. "Were you seriously going to commit taboo?"

"I need him, Zolf…"

"What about me?" He howled. "I need you!" Tears fell from my eyes, flowing freely down my cheeks. "If you leave, if you're taken away from me, I won't know what to do. Please, don't just walk out of my life." There were those eyes again. The ones desperate to weep, but didn't know how.

"I-I…I hope you can forgive me, Zolf. I love you, with everything that I have, however little that may be." I could hear my glass heart shatter, as a scream resonated with the activation of the transmutation circle. The last sight I saw was tears falling from golden eyes before a godly, wooden gate stood before me. Kimbley was nowhere to be found.

The gates drew open, a lateral eye prying open. I felt it stare straight into my soul.

"What you seek is not here," A chorus rang. Thought they blended together in perfect harmony, it was easy to pick out the various pitches. "Your child has disappeared, and cannot be reborn." I made no motion or sound, but tears dripped down my face. Caden wasn't even here. "He still exists within you world. However, thank you for your kind patronage and sacrifice." Numerous black vines and arm-like tentacles wrapped around my body and hurled me towards the throes of the abyss.

That was all I could remember when I had awoken. It was black, but where did this clear blue sky come from?

"What the…?" My head pounded itself into a migraine and was unbearable, especially with the sun beating down on me.

"So you're up." A somewhat elderly man's voice caused me to jolt upright. It took me a moment to realize I was in a pasture. The man that called out to me was all too familiar.

"F-father?" He only smiled, wrinkles at the outer corners of his eyes molded into a similar shape.

"Welcome home, Faythe."

"We transcended the gate when we died." My mother stated, settling me a cup of tea at their dinner table.

"But how?"

"When you leave behind the most important things in life, the Gate of Truth feels the immense sacrifice, and shows mercy." My father continued. They were still the brilliant minds they had always been.

"I…I left my husband behind."

"Husband?" They pondered simultaneously. "So who's the lovely man?"

"…Zolf J. Kimbley." Silence filled the air before my dad went into an inexplicable outrage.

"You realize he killed us, don't you?" My mom said firmly, almost too calmly.

"Yes, he told me. But mom, he's wonderful. He…begged me not to commit the taboo.

He's tried to stop me, he's protected me from so many things. He's given me love that cannot be filled from family…" Speaking of Kimbley to someone else really made me miss him. To the extent where I wished I could just take it all back.

"Why did you?"

"Caden died, but he isn't anywhere within the gate. The gate said he's still with the world."

"The gate is never wrong." My dad chimed, sipping on his coffee. I guess he came down from his outburst. It also seemed that they wanted to avoid the gloomy subject of their son's death. Or maybe it was just me, over thinking things as usual.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Will I ever get to see Zolf again?" She stayed quiet at first, before giving me a sad smile and grasping my shoulder.

"You will."

"How do you know?"

"Well, he loves you, doesn't he? He would give up anything just to be with you again?"

"Yeah, he would." I didn't have to second guess myself, because I knew he did.

"Then the gate will be merciful, and give him leniency so that you two will meet again." A single tear dripped down from my left eye.

"I hope so, mom. I love him more than anything. I should have just been rational and accepted the fact that Caden was gone - everyone dies eventually, albeit his death was tragic. I should have cherished what I had, I didn't want things to end so bitterly." By now, I was reduced to a sobbing mess, crawling into my mothers lap.

"Oh sweetheart, your lives have only just begun."

The End.

?

Author Note: OH MY GOD IT'S OVER /3 Kind of? That was a terrible ending. But still, I want to thank those of you who have stuck it out with me. Well, Kimbley didn't die? And I WILL BE WRITING AN EPILOGUE IN KIMBLEY'S POV. Because, obviously, there's a lot of things left unsaid. Anyway, I REALLLLLLY wanted to get this chapter posted because today is actually my seventeenth birthday, kyaah ~ 3 Anyway, the question is, WHO WANTS A SEQUEL?