'Til Death Do Us Part

Chapter 9: Epilogue

It took three weeks before they had allowed Mannie to leave the hospital. They had hopes of helping her recover her memory before sending her home, but no matter what treatment they gave her, she never remembered. Although, she did happen to leave them all baffled, returning to life when she had less than a 2 percent chance. The doctors declared it a miracle, the Lyoko warriors however, declared it fate. Mannie had returned to Odd and her's home, but quickly grew uncomfortable as having almost no idea who he was. He didn't want to force anything on her, he was just glad to have her back in his life, kicking and breathing on her own, even if he couldn't quite call her his.

Now, it was one year and a couple of months later, Mannie was still living with Avril and Ulrich, the only ones she deemed comfortable to live with. Today was Aria's seventeenth birthday, and they would all be heading over to Odd's house for the party. Even though Mannie still couldn't remember her daughter, she still had that motherly love and pull towards her and Kody that would never go away.

"Well Mannie, we're all ready to go. Are you about finished?" Avril walked into Mannie's room, with a smile on her face. Avril was wearing a royal blue sweater with a black thick scarf tied around her neck and some dark wash skinny jeans tucked into some UGG booties. Her raven black hair was pulled up into a ponytail, with her bangs braided across her hairline and tucked behind her ear. She had a white bow tied into the ponytail, and maroon shaded lipstick on her lips.

"Y-yeah, I'm ready." Mannie stood, playing with the diamond ring on her left hand. She had wanted to take it off, but when she did she felt at a loss, so she asked Odd if she could keep it, and he agreed. Her hair had grown a few inches longer, she curled it in honor of the Holidays, and had her bangs parted to the left side. "You know, you would think I would remember my own daughters' birthday being Christmas Eve..but I don't." Mannie sighed, tucking her bangs behind her ear. She wore white glittery eyeliner on her eyes and curled her lashes, and also donned maroon colored lipstick. She wore a white sweater-dress that was low-cut and stopped about mid-thigh. She had on dark red leggings with brown UGGs like Avril.

"You look beautiful. Odd's not going to be able to keep his hands off of you." Avril joked, looking Mannie in the eyes, who rolled hers.

"Oh please, he's such a flirt. Of course he's not going to be able to." Mannie laughed, walking over to her bed and finished packing things into her purse. Avril's eyes trailed after Mannie, as she began to walk over to the door.

'Well, the only person he flirts with is you... and he is your husband.' Avril sighed, thinking to herself. "I'll meet you down at the car."

The Della Robbia house was adorned in Christmas decorations. There was a wreath, white lights and garland outlining the front door. Damian was the first out of Ulrich and Avril's car, running up the steps, and pounding on the front door.

Ever since the accident, Damian had found the courage and asked Aria out to be his girlfriend, it was a little over eight months that the two had been together. It didn't really surprise any of the parents, well, except Mannie.

"You know, you practically live here. I don't know why you even knock anymore." Odd joked as he opened the door. Damian's eyes lowered to the ground and his feet dug into the cobblestone.

"Mom'll yell at me if I just let myself in." He muttered, and Odd laughed ruffling the boys' hair.

"She's upstairs in her room with Naomi and Milee." Odd stepped aside, letting Damian in and his eyes rose up as he saw Mannie getting out of the car. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold winter air, and she was rubbing her arms as she waited for her two friends to join her on the walk up. Odd reached in and grabbed his jacket off the coat rack next to the door and placed his hand in his pockets. As he walked over to the car, his feet crunched in the snow with every step he took.

"Why, Ms. Diazdeleon, you look beautiful today." He whispered in her ear as she was bent over reaching for some presents in the back seat. She straightened her posture as she turned to face Odd.

"Goodness, Odd. You scared me! You have to stop doing that." She placed her hand on her chest and smiled in his direction. That smile, it made his heart leap every time he saw it; even after seventeen years.

"How nice of you to grace us with your presence, Ulrich. How's training coming?" Odd diverted his gaze to Ulrich who was now getting out of the car, and smirked at his friend.

"You know, brutal as usual." Ulrich pressed the 'lock' button on his car keychain, also holding some presents in his left arm. "Let's go inside before I get frostbite." They all nodded in agreement and headed inside the Della Robbia residence.

She couldn't place her finger on it, whether it was the chill from the cold outside, or the fact that every time she looked at the pictures from her past that she didn't remember which haunted her every time she took a step inside this house. It was the precise reason why she couldn't live here. There was just too much going on for her, and it was doing more bad than good.

There was a giant Christmas tree in the center of their living room with colorful lights placed all over it, and multiple ornaments.

"Mammiieeee!" A squeaky little voice came from behind her, as she felt something about three feet tall grab onto her leg with a monstrous hold.

"Kody!" Mannie laughed leaning down to pick up the blonde boy who wore a long-sleeved button down red shirt and some jeans with black dress shoes. His short blonde hair was up in a short mohawk, and he had red juices rung around his lips. "What is that on your face?!" Mannie wiped off the little boys face, and he giggled digging his face into the hollow of her neck.

"Sorry, he wanted a 'paw-sicko' and I just couldn't say no to that face." Yumi laughed as she and William stepped from the kitchen, a hand on her very pregnant belly.

"Oh I wouldn't blame you. I couldn't say no to this face either." Mannie grinned as she tickled Kody and he laughed, thrashing in her arms. She set him down and he ran over to Odd.

"Mo-I um mean, Mannie, you're here!" Mannie looked up, and saw Aria standing on the staircase with a giant smile on her face, practically beaming. As she was younger, the girl definitely resembled Odd more than Mannie, but as she grew older, she resembled Mannie, and not even Mannie herself could deny that fact.

"Aria, you look beautiful." The girls' hair now reached her waist and she too, had her hair curled. She had a red bow wrapped around her head, pulling her purple bangs back. She had on a solid red dress with a silver belt wrapped around her waist. "Happy birthday sweetie."

"Come on Mannie, they've got drinks in the kitchen!" Avril called from the kitchen, peeking her head around the corner.

"Oh good, I could use a drink after today." Mannie smiled walking towards the kitchen. Once she stood in the entryway, she bumped into someone who spilled alcohol all down her dress.

"Oh man, I am so sor- well hello gorgeous!" Odd grinned.

"Mr. Della Robbia, how many times do I have to tell you..." Mannie lost track of her words as she was staring into his eyes, and sighed, having to tear herself away from them. "Just stop bumping into me!" She started to back away, but Odd grabbed onto Mannie's arm and shook his head.

"Uh uh uh, you don't think I'm letting you get away that easily, do you?" Mannie looked at him, confused and he grinned pointing up towards the ceiling at the plant that was hanging down.

"Mistletoe..." She whispered and sighed. "I don't know if this is some sort of ploy to try and get me to make out with you Odd..." Odd scoffed and placed his hand on his chest in mocking hurt.

"Now Mannie, do I seem like someone who would ploy and do something like that."

"As I seem to recall, your name is Odd Ploy Della Robbia." Mannie crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrow at the grown man.

"No way! You've got me confused with my evil twin. My name is Odd Devilishy Handsome and Sexy Della Robbia." Mannie couldn't help but snort and laugh in Odd's face.

"Well who am I to argue with that? And I'm certainly not one to break holiday tradition. We may as well get this over with..." She sighed and uncrossed her arms, placing her hands on Odd's shoulders. The childish grin was wiped off his face and replaced with a serious, almost desired look. Mannie stood up on her tippy toes and leaned in placing her lips on his. She could have sworn there were fireworks going off behind them, as heat radiated through her body, and she felt him pull her body against his. Before she knew it, he had pulled away, and he placed his mouth next to her ear.

"I want you to know that I love you wholeheartedly. I know that it may not make sense to you now, but I hope one day that it will. You are my everything. You always have been, and always will be." He pulled back away from her as the doorbell rang, and Odd made his way to the door, giving her one last look.

"Unkew Odd!"

"Well if it isn't my favorite niece and nephew, Carrie and Aldo." Odd laughed as the pink haired girl ran into their house. Mannie wordlessly turned back to look at Odd who was giving Aelita and Jeremy a hug.

'Why does that sound so familiar to me?' She asked herself as she turned back towards the kitchen and walked to Avril who was hold out a glass of red wine out to Mannie.

"That was quite a kiss if you ask me." Avril winked and Mannie rolled her eyes.

"Aww thanks Uncle Ulrich! I love it!" Aria squealed opening another present. All the kids were sitting on the floor in a circle around the tree taking turns opening presents. Mannie smiled watching them all becoming overjoyed, but something still ate at her deep inside, just as it did last year. Something was missing.

From the corner of her eye, Mannie saw Kody get up and start to run towards the stairs.

"Where exactly do you think you're going little mister?" She laughed and got up from the couch chasing after her son. Odd smiled to himself and also got up from the couch and followed after them, leaning on the post in the hall, watching his wife and son interact. It was the next words out of her mouth that stunned Odd.

"Silly, you know your dad hates it when you go near the stairs." Mannie laughed grabbing her son and throwing him into the air, but catching him when he came back into her grasp. The kid giggled and laughed from excitement, and gave his father a strange look when he saw him coming towards them with a ghastly look on his face.

"W-what did you just say?" Mannie turned to look at Odd and then her eyes widened when she realized the words that came out of her mouth. It hit her like a train. She fell to the ground holding her head as it started pounding, as memories, words, scenes, pictures, sounds, everything starting flowing back into her head. Her eyes were clenched shut and Kody stood next to his mother patting her on the shoulder, a concerned look on his face.

"Mammie?" He asked, and Odd took a few steps forward, grabbing his son. He kneeled next to Mannie and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Mannie, are you okay?" He asked her softly, and she slowly released the hold on her head and raised her head looking around, confused.

"...Odd..?" She whispered as tears came to her eyes. "W...where am I?" Her eyes set on Odd and Kody and they widened. "Kody...oh my God is that you? You're...so big.." She reached forward and grabbed her son in a tight hug.

The others came running into the room hearing the commotion, and Aria took a few steps forward past everyone else.

"Dad, what's going on? Is mo-I mean, is Mannie okay?" Mannie's eyes opened and widened hearing her daughters' voice, and her head sharply turned to look in her direction.

"...Aria?" She whispered and stood, walking over to the girl who was now equal height to her mom. "Look at you... you're so...you're so beautiful." Mannie let out another sob as she grabbed the young girl in a hug, and Aria stared off into the distance, wordless.

"Mom..?" Aria pulled herself looking up at her mothers' face, and the woman looking back was indeed her mother. Those metallic colored, but loving eyes were back. They were just as she remembered. "Oh my... you're back!?"

"Yeah sweetie.. I'm back." Mannie pulled her daughter back to her and kissed the top of her head, holding her tight. 'It's been far too long..' She sighed happily, closing her eyes. Odd still stared at her, the words he was trying to find were failing to come to him. As the woman pulled away from her daughter she turned to look at Odd, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Come on you guys.. let's go open some more presents." Aelita offered to the children, and Aria nodded.

"Promise me you're not going to disappear again?" Aria asked her mom looking up to her. Mannie turned back to face her daughter, and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I would never dream of leaving you, Aria." The girl nodded, smiling and walked over to her father grabbing her little brother's hand and lead him toward the others.

"C'mon Kody, let's go open some presents!"

"PWEASAAANTS!" The blonde boy squealed in excitement as they all filed out of the room, save Mannie and Odd. Mannie smiled watching them leave, and felt a warm pair of hands resting on her shoulders. She slowly turned to look at him, and felt tears coming to her eyes when hers met his.

"Please tell me this is real and not just a dream. I don't think I can handle another cruel morning waking up where you're not there next to me.." Odd was whispering, his hand caressed the side of her face, and she brought her hand to rest on his.

"This is real... I'm real." She whispered in return, closing her eyes. How long she dreamt of having him this close to her again, she did not know. But to her, this too was surreal.

"Mannie..." He said her voice so softly, it was barely audible. He pulled her body against his and held her close. She returned the embrace. "You're never leaving me again, you have no idea how hard this was without you. How I had to explain to the kids, and-" Mannie raised her finger to rest on his lips.

"I can never understand what you went through, but every time you came to see me, I heard you. I was there Odd, I just had no way of responding to you. I promise, I'm never leaving you again. You are my everything, my soulmate, the love of my life... and now that everything is back.. I feel whole again. I love you Odd." She whispered as he crashed his lips onto hers and his fingers were clasped around her arms longingly, afraid to let go. There was so much passion in his kiss, she hadn't felt him kiss her with such reverie in so long it was almost forgotten. He pulled her as close as physically possible, and breathed her in. She was back. His Mannie was back. He pulled back from the kiss and looked deep into her eyes.

"Forever and always right?" Mannie nodded and smiled.

"'Til death do us part." She whispered and pulled him into another deep kiss.

Aria peeked her head around the corner and smiled at the sight.

'Best birthday present ever.'

If two hearts are truly meant to be joined as one, no matter the retribution or troubles they face, they will always find their way back together and live in true happiness.

Well, there it is. The end. I truly feel happy that this series is finally over. I posted the first chapter of What Have You Done on 6-15-2007... over six years ago. I really can't even believe it. I want to thank everyone who's been there for me over the years, and even new readers. Y'all give me reason to write. I also want to than I-Breached-UR-Security, AKA, Bre'Ann, for being my biggest fan and helping me with ideas and such. You are my fave and I love you! Thank you all, so so much for everything.

I plan on going back through the other two parts of this story and editing them so that they're up to par with my creative and writing standards. Please review and let me know your thoughts. Thanks for reading, much love, be kind to others, and never forget; your true love is waiting out there for you somewhere. (P.S. I also have another Code Lyoko story, called One More Night. You're free to read that one as well if you're interested.)

XOXO

Amber