Oh my…second to last chapter! I can't believe this story is slowly coming to a close! Without further ado, the AMIAN chapter most of you have been waiting for!

Chapter 24

I laid a flower on Alistair's grave.

The gentle breeze blew through my nicely curled hair. I smoothed out my long, black dress and went to go sit back down. I stared at Alistair's mansion and his gorgeous garden. I found that I couldn't lay my eyes on his grave, though. It was too hard.

"Amy, do you have something to say?"Mr. McIntyre asked.

I came back to Earth and nodded. I walked slowly to the podium and took a deep breath. Before I said a word, I looked at all of my relatives and Alistair's close friends.

"At the beginning, I looked at him differently," I paused. Most of the crowd knew what I meant when I said "beginning."

"I looked at him like he was only in it for himself. However, I was young and ignorant back then. I had thin skin. Everyone was the enemy. But I soon found out that he was not. Sure, he played us a couple times, but who didn't? What really mattered was that he pulled himself out in the end. He truly was a great man. Now that I think about it, I wish I had done something that I never got to. He used to persist to Dan and I to call him 'Uncle Alistair' and we never did. So, rest in peace Uncle Alistair. We love you."

I wiped away a tear and went back to my seat. Dan gave me a wobbly thumbs up, barely holding in tears himself.

"Yes, you will be missed Alistair Oh. May you rest in peace," Mr. McIntyre said, and closed the coffin.

~Ha-ha-ha, bless your soul~

"Nice speech."

I looked up from my spot under a large cherry blossom tree. "Thanks."

"May I join you?" Ian asked.

I patted the spot next to me. "If you want to."

He sat down on the grass. "Why would I not?" he asked, his eyes playful.

I sighed, shook my head, and looked down at my hands.

"What's on your mind?" Ian asked.

"It's just that…I missed the hunt and the adrenaline of the chase, but once I got back in it, I ended up at a funeral!" I gestured around me for extra impact. "Why did he have to die?"

"Amy," I looked up at him. "Everyone has their time. It was his. It wasn't Madison's. And that's why she is still sitting over there," he pointed to Madison who was talking with her siblings. "You saved a life! Doesn't that make you feel extraordinary?"

I shrugged. "I've done it before," I said with a small smile.

"I know," he said, smiling.

"Why are you being so nice?" I asked seriously.

"Why are you being so questioning?" he retorted.

I punched his arm. "Oh, shut up."

Ian grinned. "And why are you being so violent? I thought they had classes for those issues these days."

"I'll punch you again," I warned.

He raised an eyebrow. "I think I've figured that out by now."

I didn't reply for I was too fascinated by the sunset. The pinks and oranges danced around the horizon. Suddenly, I felt a hand slip into mine. I looked up at Ian who was staring down at me with his gorgeous, amber eyes.

"Why are you fascinated by the littlest things?" he asked.

"Just…just don't ask questions."

From there, he leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. I took my hand out of his and wrapped my arms around his neck. When I let go, he pressed his forehead against my own.

"Well, what do you know? You like me," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "About time you figured it out, too."

"Well, the punches aren't really sending me a good message," Ian said.

"Hey! I am-"

"Oh, just come here," Ian interrupted, and brought my lips to his once more.

I felt him smile against my lips as he ran his hands through my hair. I shuddered at his touch.

"Now, what do we have here?"

I jumped away from Ian, who couldn't help but smirk. My cheeks heated up as Jonah grinned down at us.

"N-Nothing!" I stuttered, and cursed under my breath.

"Hmm…no, I think it was something. I can't quite put my finger on it, though," Ian teased, pretending to ponder.

"Oh, yes," Jonah agreed. "It seems as if Amy was eating Ian."

I turned red once again. "I was not!"

"Yes, you were," said a satisfied Jonah.

I pouted, seeing the odds were against me.

"Don't pout, love. It's too cute," Ian purred, kissing the top of my head,

"Oh, shut up," I snapped but couldn't help smiling from his actions.

Just then, my I heard my phone vibrate in the small, black handbag I had brought.

"Hello?"

"Hey, kiddo!" Nellie said loudly.

"Nellie? Where did you go?" I exclaimed. She disappeared after the relatives came!

"What do you mean? Didn't Fiske tell you?" she asked.

"Tell me what?"

Ian asked who it was but I shushed him.

"Oh! Well, I was in France. They have lovely classes there. I learned how to make the most scrumptious croissant! I'll have to make it for you sometime! So, what have you been up to lately?"

I paused. She didn't know anything. She didn't know about the shield or where I was right now or about Alistair…

"Oh!" I cringed at the irony. "Um, we haven't done anything out of the ordinary…" I said, lying through my teeth.

"The cousins are behaving? That's a first," she said.

I looked around at everyone. Sinead, Ned, and Ted were still by the coffin. Dan and Hamilton were in the mansion somewhere and Natalie, Madison, and Reagan were talking by the garden.

I smiled. "Tell me about it."

~We'll find a new way of living~

A pool.

A shining, big, freaking pool.

"Surprise!" Fiske said.

A grin broke out on my face. Well, hey, why not get a pool?

"I thought you deserved something after everything you've been through. Nellie brought up this idea," Fiske said laughing.

I glanced at Nellie through the open kitchen window, and she winked.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Fiske said, gesturing to the crystal blue water.

Dan and some of the others whooped, and we all sprinted upstairs to change. I grabbed my favorite green bikini and changed. I bounded down the stairs, and laughing, I pushed Dan out of the way. I through my towel down on the ground and leaped.

The cool water doused me as I went under. I let the chlorine evade my eyes to see the others make their entrance in the glittering water.

And I had to smile…even if it was underwater.

Author's Note: Oh…My…God…the only chapter left is the epilogue!

I think I'm going to cry! This was so much fun writing this story and I can't wait to make the next (last) chapter the best it can be! I hope you guys enjoyed it because that's only why I'm on here. I know I don't have enough talent to write an actual book, so I'm just on here for the passion and for the enjoyment of others!

Anyways! I do really hope you guys enjoyed it and stick around for the epilogue! Thank you so much for the support!

~Nataliya