Inevitably, time pressed on, the memories of days spent together with Roy and Mary the fuel that kept them going. They became each other's vim and vigor during the difficult times, and at times when it seemed as though a smile would never appear, one of them would do something to bring a smile back on their faces. When school started back, Ib focused harder on her classes, at times immersing herself in her studies. Garry, even though he had always been involved with his students, became more involved, helping more with fundraisers and school events. Mason, still Ib's friend, would try his best to keep her mind off things; to do this, he would play his guitar with her. For a time, it worked. Each day, it became slightly easier to deal with the pain. Soon, it was as if they weren't constantly finding ways to make them forget.

A year passed without any word from Roy's journey in finding the "real" Mary. A year of heartache mixed with joy and laughter. It took a whole year before they could pass by the museum without getting choked up, or seeing the apartment Roy and Mary stayed in without painful memories flooding their minds. On the anniversary of Mary's fading, Ib and Garry stood at the trashcan in which she had burned the painting- the essence of her existence. Ib played her guitar and sang the song she had written for Garry. She choked up once or twice, but she was able to finish the song without stopping. Garry put his arm around her and held her to him, and for some time, they stood there in silence. They were grateful for each other, for without their added strength, the pain would be almost too much to bear. Day by day, one step at a time, their hearts continued to mend. Their love for each other never faltered or changed. While they would never fully get over Mary's disappearance and Roy's leave of absence, they recuperated and began to live life again.

Ib's birthday was just around the corner, and Garry wondered what he could get her. Ib was particularly a picky person, and while he knew he could always get her a new pair of relaxation pants (her favorite type of clothing), he wanted to get her something else that meant so much more. After wracking his brain for several days, he decided to just ask her what she wanted. Not exactly romantic, but he knew she would not mind. So, one night, he sat down next to her on the couch. They were both in their pajamas, ready to relax.

"So, Ib," he spoke, "I have a question."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Garry smirked, unable to hide his mortification. "Well, you see… I would like to know what you would like for your birthday."

Ib giggled. "Silly. I don't need anything."

"I didn't ask you what you needed, dork," he joked. "I asked you what you wanted."

She looked down at the carpet, her eyes lost in thought. "Wanted…?"

"Yup! Anything!"

With this, Ib reached up and placed her hand on her stomach. "…What if…" She stopped.

"Hmm?"

"What if… I wanted a baby?"

Garry jolted, stunned. Ib was nearly twenty-three, and while they had been married nearly three years now, it should not have stunned him that she was ready for a child. By the way he reacted, Ib took her hand off her stomach and put it down at her side. Her cheeks turned red from chagrin.

"I-I'm sorry," she nervously smiled. "I'll think of something else."

At this, Garry let out a small chuckle and wrapped his hand around her hand. "It just took me by surprise, Ib. I wouldn't mind starting a family, myself."

Ib turned toward Garry, her face beaming with happiness. "You mean…"

Garry leaned forward and kissed her softly. "Whenever you're ready, we can start trying." Ib's cheeks turned read again, giving him his answer. Wordlessly and effortlessly, he lifted her off the couch and carried her into their bedroom. He sat her on the bed and sat down beside her, where they began to kiss lovingly and passionately. She laid back, she and Garry never breaking their kiss, her arms wrapped around his neck that brought him down with her. Moment by moment, their fervor intensified; their clothing was scattered about the room, and the sounds of their love filled the air. At the most intense moment, Garry suddenly stopped at looked down into Ib's eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked, winded.

"…Are you ready? Are you sure this is what you want?" Garry asked, his cheeks crimson. Due to his nervousness, Ib became nervous as well. While making love was not anything new, the next step was going to be something they had never done before. Despite her apprehensiveness, she reached up and brushed Garry's bangs out of his face.

"I'm ready," she replied. With her response, their session continued, and soon their release was granted. Breathless and drenched in sweat, Garry laid his head on Ib's chest; while he was very slim, he made sure not to put his full weight on her much smaller frame. She held him in her arms and ran her fingers through his hair. They both knew that it was not necessarily guaranteed that she would conceive the first time, but as of the moment, they laid in each other's arms, blissful.

However, Ib did not conceive the first time. Nor the second or third. Nor several other times after that. Both were confused as to what was wrong, but they continued to try. With Ib's birthday merely two weeks away, they had hope that she would by then. One rainy day, after making love again, Ib laid in Garry's arms, watching the rain fall. He could tell that she was discouraged, so he asked her if there was anything he could do for her.

"I'm fine, Garry. I promise."

"You seem so down, Ib…"

Ib smiled. "Maybe just a little. But, I'm okay. I promise."

Another week passed. While they were getting ready for their day one sunny morning, Ib suddenly got sick. Garry offered to stay home with her, but she reassured him that she was all right and for him to go on to teach. He did as she asked and went about his day, calling her at lunch to check on her. On his way home, he decided to stop at the post office; he hadn't been in three days. When he checked the mail, he saw a letter with rather familiar handwriting. He opened it up, surprised to see just one sentence: I found her.

Immediately, he knew who had sent the letter. A smile instantly spread across his face, and he nearly ran out of the post office and would have if his leg would have let him. As quickly as he could, despite the pain his leg was in, he hurried home to show Ib the letter. As he rounded the corner, he was also surprised to see Ib standing in the parking lot of their apartment complex, a curious smile on her face. He made his way over to her, unable to hide his smile as well. Placing the letter in her hands, they both laughed together, happy to finally hear news from Roy, despite it being so short. Regardless, it was good news. Garry asked Ib if she was feeling better, to which she replied that she was. When he asked her why she was standing there waiting for him, the answer made him wrap his arms around her while blissful tears flowed from both of their eyes.

Ib was going to have a baby.