AN: I'm sure you noticed last chapter I tried to write in their southern accents. I tried again this time, but it was really failing, so I stopped. This is the final chapter of Music Boxes. But there will be a sequel! And it will be titled Together Forever. Woo! Thanks to Dark Angel Erissa, Animekitty47, and Yenattirb for their reviews!

It took Derrick five years of failed relationships to realize he had been a complete and total ass.

He had picked his girlfriend (who had a history of cheating) over his best friend (a girl who got him better than anyone else).

And he doubted Nightshade would take him back.

She'd probably got on with her . . . afterlife? Probably already had another friend, or at least a boyfriend.

But he had to see her anyway. Apologize, and tell her . . .

It had also taken five years of failed relationships for him to realize he was in love with his best friend. He didn't know if she loved him, but something had to explain her actions that night. He knew the vast majority of the Neitherworld believed her only desire was money, and the only thing she cared for was her hair. But Derrick knew different. Yeah, she was selfish, a con artist, a liar, and not a very nice person. So she didn't try to break him and Amy up out of the goodness of her still heart. She wanted something. Derrick had always noticed she'd get extremely jealous if he showed any kind of attention to another female (yes, she got jealous of his mares), so he knew she wanted Amy out of the picture for a selfish reason.

He just didn't know what.

The mirror was still in his old room at his parents' house, but he figured Nights' chant would work anywhere. Magic was magic, right?

Standing in the middle of his apartment bedroom, he said her chant. Derrick grinned at the familiar rush of icy heat and taste of strawberries as his room transformed into the poltergeist's Gate, and he was thrilled to see he was back in his Neitherworld outfit.

He ran through the gate, and was rather shocked to find it raining. It had never rained before.

Let alone strawberry tasting rain.

The breather sprinted down the road to Nightshade's mansion. Her car was still in the driveway, but that didn't necessarily mean she was home. Derrick didn't even bother knocking and opened the door. So what if she was with someone?

He blinked at the mess that greeted him. There was junk everywhere! Sure, her place was cluttered before because she was a pack rat, but at least he could see the floor back then.

Empty bottles were on every available surface, fabrics, papers, and stuff he couldn't identify covered the floor.

This was still Nightshade's house, right? There were two place she was probably in. Assuming she was home.

Derrick made his way (carefully) up to the second floor to her Music Box room. This room was still clean, aside from a few bottles. But the ghost wasn't there. Next floor up, he went to her bedroom. Where he found her.

She was sleeping on top of the covers, curled up, with (yet another) empty bottle in her hand. Nights looked like hell. Derrick sat on the edge of her huge bed. Her skin had taken a darker lilac tint, and there were dark purple circles around her eyes. Her once silky hair was now matted and wild. And was that . . . moss growing in patches along her hairline?

He brushed a strand of hair out of her face, and jumped when she looked at him. At least they were still jade green, but the whites had turned yellow.

"Whadahell," she slurred.

"Are you . . . drunk?" He knew she liked to drink, but he also knew a drunk ghost was hard to come by.

"Obviouzly not 'nough."

"Why not?"

"'Cause yer back, hallucination-Ace." She sat up and looked in her empty bottle, then she tipped it over. "Awww, dat wuz m'last one . . ."

Derrick didn't know what to do. She thought he wasn't real. "Doll . . ."

She turned her head to glare at him. "Shuddup. Yer jus' an illuzzun caused by m'broken heart."

"But, doll--"

"No. Jus' 'cause m'heart dun beat, dun mean it won' break."

"I wasn't gonna say--"

"I ain't done!"

He waited for her to say something else, but she didn't. The ghost woman just continued to glare at him.

"Move," she finally ordered. "I gotta go ta da bar . . . ge' more t'drink."

He stood up, and watched her crawl to the edge and stand up. But he caught her before she could fall to the floor.

"Wha? I always hit da floor . . ." she mumbled, looking at the floor.

"I caught ya, baby doll."

She looked up at Derrick, genuine confusion on her face. "Bu' yer not real. Y'can't catch me, Ace."

"Nights. . ." How bad had he hurt her, when he told her to go away? Enough to cause her to be drunk 24/7. Enough to where she wouldn't, couldn't, believe he was back.

Derrick didn't know what to do. So he kissed her, and he heard the bottle thunk as it hit the floor.

"Tell me that wasn't real, doll," he said when he broke away. "I love you, Nights. I'm sorry for being an ass. Please, just know that I'm really here. That I'm really back."

She didn't say anything.

"How old are you now?"

Derrick blinked at her sudden question. He looked in her yellow and green eyes, unnaturally alert for being the eyes of a drunk. And he noticed her speech wasn't slurred.

"You're not drunk anymore."

"Nope. I found out I needed a constant supply of hard liquor. I'll tell you this, though: I've got one mother fucker of a headache." She raised her brow. "You gonna answer my question?"

"I'm twenty-five. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Do you truly love me?"

"Yes."

"I had to stay drunk 'cause I couldn't stand being without you sober. I don't want to go through that again."

Derrick knew that look. She had an idea. "I don't want be away from you."

"Then let's get hitched."

But he wasn't expecting marriage.

"Ace, I love you. I have since before I met you. Don't ask. It's complicated. Now that you're older than me," she held up her hand when he opened his mouth, "we can get married."

"Why does it matter if I'm older?"

"Together forever. Derrick, if you marry me, you won't die."

Derrick stared at her. If he didn't die, then death would never part them.

He grinned, and his arms around her waist tightened. "Nights, would you do me the honor of becoming my bride?"

Nightshade grinned, slid her arms around his neck, and kissed him back. "I will."

And for the first time in his life, Derrick was thrilled his dad gave him a broken music box.

AN: Yay for happy endings! And again, thank you all so very much! Oh, I got a little poll up on my profile. I would love you forever if you voted.