Can I just apologize for the fact that this took so long? Three months? YIKES! I'm SO SORRY! I hope you guys like the chapter! I tried to make it extra good because it took so long to update!

Kate's POV:

I stayed in the clearing long after everyone else had gone, but when I was ready turned back towards the Cullen's house. Garrett and I ran in silence and I thought a lot on the way. Irina wouldn't have wanted me to regret what had happened, and I didn't. I couldn't regret her actions or my own, only the Volturi's. I was ashamed to admit that I wouldn't take back what had happened, because if I did then I would loose Garrett.

I stopped about a mile from the house to walk at a human pace for a change. As we walked I asked Garrett quietly, "Did you really mean what you said? That you'd follow me anywhere?"

"To the end of the earth and back," he said solemnly. We'd stopped walking.

"Well," I said, surprised to find my smirk returning of its own accord, "Alaska's all I'm asking for." I stood on my tip toes and gave him a light kiss before taking his hand and running towards the house.

When we arrived we saw that Carmen, Tanya, and Eleazar were all getting ready to leave, and all of the Cullens were there to thank them and say goodbye.

I felt more than one pair of amber eyes zone in on Garrett and my hands, but, thankfully, no one said anything.

"You guys ready to go?" asked Carmen. Tanya didn't look capable of words.

I took deep breath, and felt Garrett's reassuring hand around mine. "Yeah," I said with a nod. I was leaving behind the place of Irina's death, and, hopefully the grief the accompanied it. I had thought of her, I had remembered, I'd grieved, but I'd also realized that Irina wouldn't want me to have spent the rest of my life that way, just as I wouldn't ask that of her if our positions were reversed. I was ready to move towards a new phase of my life. I knew that that resolution would last a few hours at most, but I recognized that someday soon I would really be able to move on.

Garrett's POV:

I was glad to see that some color had returned to Katie's face, and she seemed to be capable of speech finally. I'd been worried that she'd push me away, because of the guilt I knew she was feeling. I was glad that she hadn't decided to shut me out, because I would've let her, and we both knew it. I couldn't deny her what she wanted, and if it was my absence than I'd deal with it. I was still a little nervous about whether or not Carmen, Eleazar, and Tanya would allow me to go with them, and there was sure to be some sort of awkward conversation about it. Luckily, I was spared the horror of having to ask if I could come when Eleazar spoke to me.

"Our car's out back. We brought two though," he lowered his voice a little lower, so that Tanya, Kate, and Carmen wouldn't hear, "We had hoped we'd be bringing Irina with us," his eyes looked sad, but he continued resolutely, "If we handle Tanya will you handle Kate?" I knew what he meant. They couldn't be alone right now, but being together would only feed their grief.

I nodded and said, "Thank you."

Eleazar shook his head, and said, "Thank you. Our family, as much as Tanya would like to deny it, needs you. Kate needs you." He gave a smile as he said, "Welcome to the family." I didn't have time to express what those words meant, because Carlisle had approached me, and Eleazar went to help Carmen take Tanya and Katie out to the cars.

"Thank you for coming, and for helping us."

"Thank you," I said, "Things won't be the same after this."

"No, they won't" he agreed, looking solemn.

"But," I said with a small smile, "At least some things changed for the better. There's plenty to hope for. The day will come when we can rid ourselves of the Volturi, and we'll stand together united once more."

Carlisle smiled, "What happened to the loner I've known all my existence? I know you have a passion for standing up for what's right, but you've never seen a need to 'stand united'."

"I found a reason," I said.

"A reason that's gonna drive off without you in a minute," came Katie's voice as she appeared around the corner wearing a smirk.

"Eavesdropping is wrong you know," I reminded her, putting on my own smirk, glad to see her spirit return. I was sure there'd be another crash and burn later, but for now she was happy.

"Whoops," she said, looking totally unconcerned.

"I'll be right out," I said. She looked satisfied and took her leave.

"Well," said Carlisle, extending hands, "This is where we part ways."

"For now," I replied, grasping his hand.

"For now," he agreed.

He returned to Esme, and to their guests. I was about to leave when Emmett approached me, grinning.

"I just wanted to thank you personally," he said, "For the 150 bucks I just got off of Jasper."

I raised an eyebrow.

"We bet that you and Kate would get together before you left, and you did," he gave a triumphant smirk, at which I rolled my eyes.

"I'm so glad my happiness is what's most important to you," I let the sarcasm run thick.

"You know it is," he replied, smiling, "It's nice to see things work out for you."

"Thanks," I said with a smile. I waved to the rest, before heading out back to the garage. Eleazar, Carmen, and Tanya must already have left, because there was only one car left that didn't belong to the Cullens, and it had Katie written all over it.

She was sitting on the hood of a red Aston Martin DBS Volante (with the top down). I made to get into the drivers seat, but she stopped me, saying, "No way. I'm driving. Nomad's can't handle this type of speed."

I raised my eyebrows, "Oh really? You think so?"

"I know so, now move over."

I actually listened to her, just this once, and got into the passenger seat.

We were driving at breakneck speeds before I'd even sat down all the way. I was pretty sure we'd gotten to 200 mph before we'd even left the Cullen's driveway. As Katie pushed 300 and was approaching 350 I got a little concerned. As far as I knew cars couldn't really go that fast without breaking down, and I didn't really want to run all the way to Alaska.

"You sure it can handle this?" I asked.

She laughed, "Yes. I had the engine fixed up. It can get to 500 without breaking a sweat." To prove her point she revved up the engine, bringing us to 400.

"If you say so."

"I do."

Kate's POV:

After a few minutes of comfortable silence I said quietly, "I'm really gonna miss her..." I didn't need to say who 'her' was.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked, and I knew that he wasn't pushing, because Garrett wasn't a pusher, at least not on the serious stuff...

"Yeah," I said. I told him everything. I told her all about my human life, all about Sasha, all about Irina...all about everything. He didn't say anything, and I'd been talking for hours. He just listened, because as much as Garrett loves to talk, he knows when it's important to listen, and he could tell that I needed to talk. It was a 2,400 mile trip between Forks and Denali, but it passed quickly enough. Before I realized it, we were only about 50 miles from home, or six minutes at my speed. I slowed the car a bit, just to make the trip last a little longer.

"Thanks," I said after a few moments of silence.

"For what?"

"For caring."

"Any time," he said, and I knew that he meant it. The next few weeks were gonna be hard, and he knew it, but he was going to be there. Any time.

So, that's it for this story. I'm having an epilogue to close things up and show how the future evolved, so keep a look out for that. It'll be in this file, don't worry, so keep this story on alert. Hope you all liked the ending! Write me a review with your thoughts!

XOXO

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