In honor of season 5 of AHS, which may not be my favorite but I am still watching anyway, here is the final chapter of Edward's Story with the last man standing, Thomas Mordrake. I hope you enjoy the conclusion of the story. I think we all know the answer to the final question ;)

I thought about writing a short BONUS chapter, where Edward is rewarded in the afterlife for what might be considered a "good deed" for Elsa Mars. Emily Beth, Twisty, and his original comrades would of course appear. But I am still considering it. Post a review if you would like to see this or have an idea.

Also, I want to know how well I did with the story. Please review and let me know. Thank you to everyone who posted reviews, favorited, and followed this story or me as FanFiction writer.

I loved writing this. If you want to give me input on the story, I have some questions I usually have for readers at the end of the story. Enjoy!

Chapter 11 Aftermath

Thomas Mordrake

Dear Father,

Emily Beth and I originally began this letter with an intention to tell you that you would soon be a grandfather, and I wish with all my being that this was still the truth. But it was not meant to be. I have enclosed our family wedding bands, because I fear I've no one left to give them to.

Emily Beth…..is dead…

I confess I've no leads as to what my purpose in life is, but I fear I can longer stay here. I cannot go on with the show-

…

"And he never finished?"

"He never finished," Thomas Mordrake answered quietly. He looked over the investigator's shoulder, staring at his son's lifeless corpse still dangling from the noose he'd fashioned for himself. After he realized he'd murdered his companions.

His son, once raised to be the finest gentleman in London, stared back at him with dead eyes and a permanent grimace on his face. While the curse of a being on the back of his head smiled at anything that moved from the back. Like a double emotion. Thomas stroked the solid gold wedding bands he'd tucked away in his pocket, fearing the worst.

"Is there any sign of my daughter-in-law?" he asked the investigator.

"We found someone that knows what happened to her. After you speak with him, sir, I'll need you to look through some of his belongings that might be of sentiment to you." The investigator walked away when Thomas nodded and, almost as soon as he left, a young boy in a plain white shirt and trousers approached him and took off his hat.

"I am a survivor of the…massacre. I was a ground keeper… And tended to Emily Beth's horse, Lady," the young boy said quietly.

"He left you alive?" Thomas Mordrake leaned heavily on his cane, relying on it to support his weight.

"I think he only got whoever was unfortunate enough to be nearby," the boy answered.

"What happened to Emily Beth, his wife?" Thomas inquired.

The young boy understood what he was desperate to hear. "Edward loved her, sir. She wasn't a victim, she…miscarried and passed on due to blood loss. We tried to save her, but… If you ask me, I think it's what pushed Edward over the edge."

Thomas stared at his son, feeling numb. "Edward has always been prone to madness for many good reasons."

The boy was confused by his response. "She's buried under the tree," he answered quietly before parting ways with him.

Thomas scanned the horizon from where he stood and found the tree with several small wooden crosses around it. He stared at it for a long while, not wanting to look at the scene that held his son's hanging body not wanting to approach the grave that held the dear daughter-in-law he barely knew. Thomas Mordrake was the last one standing of his aristocratic family lineage.

Thomas turned when he heard the reporter taking a photograph. He quickly turned and used his cane to catch the reporter's arm. The reporter had gotten a clear shot of his son hanging from the rafters of his tent.

"How much can I pay you for your silence?" Thomas asked him, getting directly to the point.

The reporter was speechless. "This is a massacre, sir. It will be the talk of the town."

"I'll pay you twice what talk is worth, sir, if this story never sees the papers. Surely there's something else you can turn your attention to? Something more productive for people to know than…the demise of a Freak Show?" Thomas prompted.

The reporter pondered a moment, then took the piece that allowed a photo to be developed from the oversized camera and smashed it underfoot before turning his back on the scene. Thomas Mordrake gracefully made his way into his late son's tent, with a high head and a heavy heart.

He found the inspector inside with a table of various objects strewn about it. "Master Mordrake, do any of these possessions mean anything to you?"

It was difficult to make heads of tails of these possessions with his son's lifeless body still dangling from the rafters in the background. Thomas struggled to ignore it and looked the table over. He picked up all the journals on the tables he saw, knowing they likely contained what was left of his son's writings. Surprisingly, he found a small book with Emily Beth's name scribbled into it and flipped through the letters and poems she wrote her loved ones.

"James should have raised her," he said sadly, putting his daughter-in-law's journal amongst his son's numerous writings. There were several knick knacks he was sure had been important to his son and Emily Beth, but he couldn't pick them out. There were no photographs. They hadn't been wed long enough to even consider gathering the funds to have one made.

Lady had, somehow, found her way to her next chosen owner and his family wedding bands were in his pocket. He recognized Edward's old cane, and took it from the table.

"I would like you to cut my son down from the rafters, so that he may be buried with his wife under the tree on the far side of the carnival grounds. I want him dressed in a gentleman's attire, as he was brought up so. You'll find clothes in my carriage. I spoke with the reporter, and this investigation is now coming to a close. I wish to see my son buried before I leave this place."

The investigator was hesitant, but gradually agreed to the older gentleman's wished. "Yes sir."

Later on that dreadful day, Thomas Mordrake found his son in a gentleman's attire, lying stiff in a simple wooden coffin made by the surviving carnival hands. Edward looked a fine gentleman even in death, with a pinstripe suit, a black coat, top hat, and his gloves.

Thomas unfolded Emily Beth's letter to her husband and Edward's last poem dedicated to his broken family. He set them inside the coffin, along with Edward's cane, and slowly pulled the top over the wooden coffin. Thomas stood there coping with the thought that, like his beloved his, Edward no longer existed in the same world as he did.

The former stable keeper for the Freak Show removed his hat and stood beside the refined gentleman.

"Do you think he's finally at peace with himself?" the boy asked.

Thomas was silent for a long time, causing the boy to feel out of line and nearly walk away, but he finally answered. "Edward was an honorable man, but he was born with a darkness that clung to his body and soul. A strange power even the strongest of wills couldn't overcome."

"Are you saying you aren't sure death is enough to separate him from it?"

For the first time in his life, Thomas Mordrake felt as if he were shrinking as he answered.

"I don't know."

So there's the last standing character and the official conclusion of Edward's Story. If you want to see a BONUS chapter with Edward in the afterlife, be sure to tell me in a review. Here's some questions I have for you as readers. Otherwise, thanks so much and I really enjoyed it!

Best,

Angelwriter84

1. Who is your favorite character and why?

2. What is your favorite chapter or part of the story?

3. What would you like to have seen that wasn't in the story?

4. There are a lot of deceased characters early on. Anyone you miss?

5. Do you feel the story could have been improved in some way?

6. What there anything especially funny/sad/touching in this story to you?