Guess what?

I JUST finished writing You and Me Forever. Like, seriously, three minutes ago, I finished the epilogue. And so, to celebrate, I am uploading this final chapter mere hours after my last update. Look for YAMF tomorrow or Monday, maybe Tuesday.

Thanks so much for reading this story. If people weren't reading this stuff and enjoying it, then I wouldn't be writing it. Some of you have been reading this trilogy since the beginning of Becoming You and Me, and I want to thank you guys especially-- seeing the same reviewers in my e-mail all the time is really cool, it means people read my stuff and keep coming back for more.

And so, without further ado, enjoy your epilogue!

"Max, Max, Maaaaax!"

I blinked blearily, at first seeing nothing but the bright, spring Arizona sky framed in my window. Then my eyes focused on the faces above mine: Angel and Nudge.

"Hey, guys," I yawned, sitting up and stretching. "What's up?"

"It's Easter, remember?" Angel asked excitedly, grabbing my hands to pull me out of bed.

"We helped Fang set up the egg hunt for Gracie and Devin," Nudge said. "We're just waiting for you before they start."

"Why?" I asked, following the girls as they skipped excitedly toward my bedroom door. "I mean, does it really matter whether I'm there or not?"

I didn't miss the look Nudge and Angel exchanged, the quick smiles flashing across their faces. I narrowed my eyes and was about to demand an answer when they both giggled and ran ahead, leaving me to roll my eyes and follow them.

In the living room, I found lots of pastel-colored plastic eggs, courtesy of my mom, scattered around the room while the flock lounged around on the furniture. Fang smiled when he saw me and patted the space next to him. I went over and cuddled into his side, pressing a small kiss to his shoulder.

"Can we go yet, Daddy?" Gracie asked, hopping from foot to foot impatiently. The hem of her Easter dress-- also courtesy of my mother-- was in her hands so she could place her eggs in the skirt. Beside her, Devin was looking around, obviously itching to get started.

"Yeah," Fang told her, settling back in the couch. "Go ahead."

The twins wasted no time in rushing around the living room, grabbing eggs off the coffee table, the top of the TV, the floor, and everywhere else. I noticed that long after the other eggs had been cleared off the coffee table in front of me, a pink one remained in plain sight, and wondered how they both could have missed it.

Finally, Gracie and Devin were on different sides of the room, popping open their eggs and happily chomping on the candy inside. The rest of the flock was talking, but their conversations kept pausing, as if waiting for something, and I suddenly realized that everyone kept glancing at me. Having a feeling that it had something to do with that forgotten pink egg, I said, "Hey, guys, I think you missed one."

Gracie looked up at me and beamed, her teeth stained from chocolate. "We didn't miss it."

"It's for you," Devin added.

"For me?" I reached forward to take the egg, but Fang swiftly moved from beside me and picked it up before I did.

"Allow me," he said when I looked up at him, confused. As I continued to stare at him, he popped open the plastic egg, and then he was on one knee.

Oh my gosh.

Holy freaking cow.

My hand flew to my mouth, but I didn't, couldn't, say anything. Instead, I just watched, my heart pounding, as Fang tilted the egg so I could see what was inside: a ring, a band with three small diamonds centered on it. Simple, but perfect.

"Max," he began, taking my hand. "I love you so much. So much. You're the only person I want to spend the rest of my life with. Maximum, will you marry me?" In his eyes, those deep, dark, emotionless eyes I knew so well, I saw only complete and utter love and adoration.

As the tears started to flow, I slid off the couch and onto Fang's knee. He took the ring out of the plastic Easter egg and put it on my finger, where it caught a bit of sunlight and glittered as a result.

"I love you," he said, pulling me in for a kiss.

"I love you too," I mumbled against his mouth.

The flock, who I'd totally forgotten about, started clapping and yelling out happily. And then, while Fang and I were still kissing, the six other people in the room, the six who completed my big happy family, threw their arms around us so we were entwined in this huge group hug.

As I broke away from Fang and caught another glimpse of the ring on my finger, I smiled at the reminder that we'd just sealed the promise Fang had made me that day on the boat on the way to Antarctica, years ago:

There will always be a you and me.

How about one last review for this story? Please? : D