A/N: I figured since by last two updates were so slow in the making, I'd give you the epilogue in a much shorter amount of time. This is the very last chapter of this story, so I want to thank all of you who continued to read and review! It's been an amazing ride :)

There's been a change in me
A kind of moving on
Though what I used to be
I still depend on
For now I realize
That good can come from bad

Epilogue: A Kind Of Moving On

It was a beautiful aftermath.

They didn't sleep that night. None of them. There were too many words to say, too many stories to tell. But it was beautiful. Life was beautiful. Mai saw that now, now that she had just given a second chance to her friends… her family.

Everything in the manor seemed a little bit brighter, cleaner, livelier. They all watched the sunrise together, a dawning of a new day.

Mai spent the rest of that day rushing around, helping everyone find new, clean clothes that weren't torn and bloodied.

A lot changed, but in the same way, not much changed. Everyone was happier, and they didn't have any secrets anymore. Mai loved how strong Takigawa's hugs were, and how warm and comforting John was, and how Madoka played with and braided Mai's hair every time she came close. Ayako and Masako's smiles were no longer bitter and brittle, but bright and beautiful.

Mai had never quite realized how close Madoka and Lin were.

And then there was Yasuhara, who acted as if nothing at all had changed. He was still as gleeful and tamely arrogant as ever – and that was just how Mai liked him.

This was just how she loved everyone.

This was still her home, and would forever be her home.

It was Naru who changed the most. He disappeared every morning outside for a week. Every afternoon around dinner he'd come back in, his slacks edged in dirt, a new cut or two on his hands. He seemed so at peace when he returned every day that Mai thought it best to not bother him about it.

It was only on the last day, when Mai sat in the library with her feet propped up on the couch, that anything surprising happened.

She probably should have guessed something was up when Naru walked into the library with his gaze dead set on her. Or when he slipped around the couch noiselessly.

She got the picture when she couldn't see anymore.

"Naru?" she asked, sitting upright. Mai moved to take off the blindfold, but Naru stopped her.

"Just come with me. There's something I want you to see."

Mai let him lead her out the library door, down two flights of stairs, and felt him place a coat over her shoulders before the cold hit. Why were they going outside? Mai felt a tinge of fear creep up her spine. But no, she had to trust him. This was the Naru who had the curse reversed, the Naru she had just saved, the Naru who had just confessed his love to her a week previously…

Naru slipped off the blindfold and let her see what he had been working all week.

Mai stared and immediately felt a lump form in her throat. Oh, my…

Eyes brimming with tears, Mai threw her arms around Naru.

"This… this is wonderful. They both would have loved this," she said thickly to his chest, rubbing the tears away before they fell.

The gravestones in front of them read:

Arata Taniyama
May 1857 – October 1911
May he rest in peace

Gene Davis
September 1890 – January 1907
May he rest in peace

Mai saw the smile pass over his face. He took her hand, and Mai readily grasped his in return. But he shook his head and pulled away. For a moment, Mai was hurt and confused. But something lay there in its place.

Two blooming red roses.

Mai knew what she was meant to do. She stepped forward gracefully, calmly, letting more tears slip down her cheeks. She laid each rose in front of the gravestone and bowed her head for a few moments of silence.

"Thank you so much, Naru."

Mai stood and felt him standing there behind her. His hands slipped around her waist and he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"I did it for them, not for you."

Mai laughed. He was still Naru, and she was still Mai. Nothing in the world could change that.

"Of course," Mai said, finally slipping her hand in his. "Madoka's waiting for us in the dining room. Earlier she said she was preparing a special dinner tonight."

"She can wait."

Mai figured that he just wanted a little more time with his brother. Mai started to step back, but he tightened his grip. She looked back at him with a question in her eyes. He let himself smile, and pulled her back onto the path.

"Why don't we go for a walk? We can take the long way around."

Naru waited for her answer. She watched his clear navy eyes, trying not to grin like a maniac at how drastically her life had transformed in a matter of days.

Mai nodded. "Yeah. I'd like that."

Naru wasn't really a Prince Charming. Not in the least. But Mai didn't really consider herself a Beauty, anyway. So she supposed they fit together quite nicely. Even though they weren't the perfect couple, not really meant to be in a fairy tale, they got their happily ever after.

Mai peeked behind her shoulder at the two broad gravestones, placed side by side. She took in a deep breath and turned back around, laying her head against Naru's arm.

This goodbye wasn't so bad after all.

And I never thought I'd leave behind
My childhood dreams but I don't mind
I'm where and who I want to be
No change of heart
A change in me

A/N: And there you have it! Please leave a review if you enjoyed reading, or if you would like to see more – this is your last chance to do so!

Also, please watch for me around the Ghost Hunt fandom – I still have several ideas just as quirky as this one just itching to be written :) Thank you, everyone!