Hello everyone! This next chapter takes place soon after the funeral.

Enjoy.

It was after dinner time. The sun was setting and life outside was winding down. John pulled Emily's house key out of his pocket. He unlocked her front door and entered, closing the door behind him. He saw Emily on the couch. Her shoes were on the floor, hat on the coffee table, and jacket on the floor. Emily's head emerged from a mountain of blankets.

John sighed gently and walked over to her. He sat down and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her forehead.

"Are you doing okay?" John asked.

Emily sniffed. "Yeah."

"I have a few questions." John tentatively asked.

"I would be concerned if you didn't." Emily rested her head on John's shoulder. She pulled her knees closer to her chest.

John laughed a tiny bit. "Okay. So Peyton. Why didn't you tell me about her?"

Emily sighed, calming herself. "I hadn't talked to her since before the explosion and I hadn't seen her since waking up from my coma. She walked out on me, so I cut all ties with her. I promised I wouldn't let her ruin my life again.

John nodded. "Did you get along as kids?"

"Oh yeah." Emily answered. "But when my parents split, we grew apart. I lived with my mom, and I took her last name, 'Clark.' Peyton and Nicholas lived with my dad, keeping his last name of 'Fischer.'"

John nodded again. "What about those boxes?" He looked over at a stack of boxes by Emily's kitchen.

Emily closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. "It's some of Benjamin's stuff that he wanted me to have."

"Oh." John paused. "Have you opened any of them?"

"No." Emily looked at the boxes as if their presence was threatening.

"Do you want to?" John asked.

"Tomorrow." Emily replied.

"Okay." John agreed.

Emily sank deeper into her mound of blankets.

"Come on." John urged. "Let's go to bed."

Emily groaned.

"Come on…" John coaxed Emily.

Emily leaned away from John.

"Oh, so that's how it's gonna go." John took on the challenge. He stood up and scooped up Emily, blankets and all.

"John…" Emily half-warned, half-complained.

"Ah ah ahh, no but's." He answered as he took Emily upstairs.

Emily groaned again.

John went into Emily bedroom and set Emily down on her bed. Emily lazily flopped over onto her side. John tugged the blankets away from Emily. She held on to them with every effort, but John had the upper hand and wrangled them away from her. Emily curled up into a ball, facing away from John. He unzipped Emily's skirt and wiggled it down until he got it off. Emily angrily took off her shirt, leaving her tank top on. John took his shoes, shirt and pants off. He got into Emily's bed and pulled the covers over the both of them. He pulled Emily close.

"Ah, nice and warm." He kissed the back of her neck.

Emily fell asleep with the tiniest of smiles on her face.

XxXxX

John woke up the next morning, the smell of coffee in his nose. He rubbed his eyes. He got out of bed. Emily must have gotten up already. He pulled on his bathrobe and made his way downstairs. He saw Emily sitting on the floor in front of the boxes, dressed for the day, with a blanket over her shoulders.

"Do you want help?" John asked.

"No." Emily simply answered.

"Okay." John respected Emily's wishes and got himself a cup of coffee.

Emily sat still as John went about his day around her. He kissed her before going out to buy groceries.

Emily opened the top box. There was a note, handwritten. Emily smiled. Benjamin was old-fashioned, always was and always will be.

Hi Emily,

If you're reading this… Well you know why. These boxes are what I want to leave you. To he honest, it's a lot of guns. But, there are some things that you might find some meaning in.

Love, Benjamin

Emily put the note aside and dug through the first box. Guns galore. She opened another. More guns. She opened a third box to find something else. It was a leather jacket. There was another note.

Emily,

My grandfather gave me this jacket. I don't think my parents could bare to keep this around. Wear it wisely, Fashion Police.

Love, Ben

Emily laughed. She let the blanket drop off her shoulders. She put the jacket on. It fit comfortably and gave Emily a sense of eternal warmth.

The next box had pictures of Emily, Ben, and Jason. There were a few of them right after they had caught a criminal, or filed away a case, or submitted evidence into the archives. Some of them Ben had taken without Emily or Jason knowing. There was one Emily dumping iced coffee on Jason for being late. There was one of Jason and Emily playing foosball on Benjamin's old table. There was a photo of Emily crying over a dropped burrito on the floor.

There was a selfie of all three of them, the day they found out they were all on a team together.

There was one of Jason and Benjamin both laying next to Emily. All of their eyes were closed. Emily was in her coma, Benjamin was missing his legs, and Jason was still kicking himself for being late.

Emily wiped away a tear.

She went to open the last box. It was extremely light, which peaked Emily's curiosity. There was crumpled paper in there, just to fill space. There was a note at the bottom. Emily picked that up and read it.

Hi Em,

Go to SafeLock Storage Center, box 329. Take my car and drive towards the horizon. Go to a beach and watch the sunset. Get the sand caught in your toes and then drive home.

Have fun and all my love,

Ben

Emily looked back into the box. There was a key. She took it, Benjamin's notes, and her purse and went outside. She got into her own car, one she bought two months ago. She drove to SafeLock Storage Center and asked for box 329. She pulled out the key Benjamin left her and unlocked the storage box.

She stood there, in front of the most beautiful car she had ever seen. A black 2020 Mustang AX. She ran a finger over the hood as she walked towards the driver's door. She got in and sat quietly in the car. She reached over and opened the glove compartment. There was another note from Benjamin inside.

Emily pulled it out and read it.

Bucket List

Go to the beach and watch the sunset

Watch a Broadway show

Buy Jason a watch

Convince Emily to darken her hair color (and possibly get bangs)

Thank Captain Maldonado for turning my life around

Visit London, England and eat fish and chips

Buy flowers for Amanda

Cook a meal for someone I love

Lay out in my backyard and contemplate life for a moment

Emily sighed slightly, unsure of what to do next. She tucked the paper in Benjamin's jacket. She drove Benjamin's car home and pulled into her driveway. John came out, about to say something.

He stopped when he saw the car.

Emily silently got into John's car and motioned for him to get in. He did and Emily drove back to the storage center. Emily got into her own car and drove home. John followed her in his car.

Emily and John stood in Emily's living room.

"Okay, are you going to tell me what that car is doing in the driveway?" John asked Emily.

"Ben left it to me. He had a bucket list in the glove compartment." Emily answered.

"Oh. What was on it?" John asked.

"Cheesy stuff."

"What are you doing to do?"

"I'm gonna do everything on the list."

"Okay."

"Okay." Emily repeated.

John hugged her.

Emily hugged back.

"I'm hungry." John spoke first.

"I'll cook." Emily smiled.

-One month later-

Emily stood and clapped. The Broadway show Benjamin wanted to see just ended. It was beautiful. Emily took out a pen she had salvaged and crossed that off Benjamin's bucket list.

There was one thing left.

Bucket List

Go to the beach and watch the sunset

Watch a Broadway show

Buy Jason a coffee card

Convince Emily to darken her hair color (and possibly get bangs)

Thank Captain Maldonado for turning my life around

Visit London, England and eat fish and chips

Buy flowers for Amanda

Cook a meal for someone I love

Lay out in my backyard and contemplate life for a moment

Emily smiled a little. She got in her car and drove home - John's house. She kissed John hello and pulled him outside into his backyard. They laid down on the grass and fallen leaves, holding hands. Emily breathed in deeply. They stayed still for what felt like an eternity.

John looked over at Emily, who was finally smiling for almost the first time in weeks. He brushed her long bangs to the side, tucking them behind her ear. It was a silky rich brown color now.

"How are you?" He asked.

"Good." Emily smiled, looking at John.

John kissed her. "Now what?"

Emily shrugged.

John looked back at the sky.

"I love you."

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