Epilogue:
It had been nearly five years since your siblings were born. Five years since you were officially adopted into the English family. Five years since you brother had gone to jail for the next ten years with charges of abuse, breaking and entering, and battery. It had been five years since you were thirteen.
It had been three years since your little sister Rose was born, this birth going more smooth than the birth of the twins.
It had been three years since Jake took you out hunting, leading to a hilarious story about a deer nearly hitting the car.
It had been maybe four years since your Aunt Roxy and Jane made you and the twins get a family photo, then three years since they made you do it again.
It had been two years since the Christmas that you actually tried waiting up for Santa with the twins and Rose, only to be the first to fall asleep.
It had been two years since you began dating Karkat, a relationship that last longer than you thought it would.
It had been a year since your whole house got the flu.
And today, it had been two months since you turned 18 and three days since you proposed to Karkat.
As of now, you are a senior, about to graduate.
"For God sake, Dirk, take Jade a minute, you did his tie wrong!" Jake frets about your tie, trying to straighten it as much as possible.
"Dad, it's fine, you're just making it worse." You laugh as Jake claws at a knot.
"Seriously, Dirk, where did you learn to tie a tie!?"
"Clip-ons." Is all he says, trying to get Rose into her tiny dress.
Jake rolls his eyes, finally satisfied with the current status of your tie. Now, he grabs a comb and tries to tackle your hair; you let it grow out quite a bit, yet it still hung at a normal length, not quite 'hippy hair' as Jake would call it.
"Pops, he's doin' it again." You whine playfully as your dad mutters about how unruly your hair is.
"Just wait til the wedding, he'll be all over the place." Dirk gives you a playful punch to the shoulder, then sets John's glasses on his face. Like always, the five year old decides to 'share' and hands the glasses to you.
An hour later, you'd be up on stage, accepting your diploma.
AS your name was called 'David English' you felt a chill run up you. You liked that name so much more than Strider. To you, Strider was a name of that of a sad lonely boy, lost in a hell he called his life.
English was more of a strong name to you. Of someone who has seen hardship but was able to overcome it and now lived a happy life.
Once the ceremony was over, your family ran to you, Jake, Dirk, aunt Jane, and Aunt Roxy all had tears in their eyes, commenting on what a handsome young man you have become and how far you will go in life.
You were currently working on becoming a lawyer, helping other kids in abusive house holds such as the one you had been in.
After too much hugging for your taste, your friends pull you into a group hug of their own.
"Congrats with Karkat." Terezi teases, as Gamzee puts his arms around both of you.
"When's the wedding?" Gamzee's voice is slurred as always.
"Right after dad calms down about graduation." You laugh. Karkat puts his arms around your neck and leans into you, brushing his lips against your ear.
As many surprises as Jake has had,. you think he'd be able to handle a couple more.
With one last look at your old high school, you begin heading back.
Back to the place you call home.
A/N: Lame ending, I know, but I have a question for ya'll. How many of you would like to see Dave and Karkat's wedding? Life?Relationship?kids? Who wants a sequel to this story? Leave a review, tell meh whatcha think. THANKS FOR READING!