9 months later: October 24th

Quinn gazed out through the canopy of the forest outside of Seattle, Washington. The branch she sat on swayed as she shifted, gripping the limb with both legs and her hands. The cool autumn air brushed through her hair, tangling the red streaks with the natural white hairs. She smiled and closed her eyes, listening to the chatter of the birds and the scuttling of animals below her. The sun was just going down and its last rays warmed her just enough for comfort. Unlike last year, she didn't mind the cold.

The sound of a large animal moving below her made her open her eyes and she scooted back into the shadow of the tree. She was hoping that she could camp here for the night, but if there were bears or other dangerous creatures in the vicinity she found her hopes being dashed.

What stepped out from the bushes wasn't a bear though, nor was it some other animal. Quinn felt a fire spark in her chest and she jumped down from the branch, skillfully landing on the one below her and continuing to the ground. On her last jump she landed behind him just as he turned. They stared at each other, neither speaking, though the smiles on their faces spoke a million words. Silently, he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. She returned the embrace willingly, holding him as tightly as he held her.

"What a surprise," he whispered.

"Who would have thought," she answered.

They fell back into silence as they sat down, her sitting in front of him leaning against his chest. She closed her eyes and snuggled up close to him. This was the one thing she missed about not being at the Institute, being with him.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"I was actually on my way back to the Institute," she replied. "What about you?"

"I was in British Columbia for the weekend and I thought that taking one day off school wouldn't hurt if it meant coming down here."

"You're skipping school? Really? Wow Mark, did someone take my place and start to convert you to the dark side?" she laughed.

"No one could take your place."

That had them become quiet again, but neither of them minded, they were perfectly content with just being around each other. After a couple minutes Quinn spoke up, "You realize this is the day we met right?"

"That's why I came."

She smiled and tugged at her gloves the same way she used to watch Caim do. "How is everyone?" she asked.

"They're good, really good. Alex won a photography award and Caim's considering joining the track team in the spring. Jake's been as hyper as usual, especially since he's found that you can mix coffee with hot chocolate."

Quinn groaned playfully. "Oh the torture of a spaztic teenager."

"How have you been?" He played with a strand of red hair. "When'd you get this done?"

"About a week ago? A week, week and a half ago. Did it myself; it's not bad huh?"

"No, not bad at all."

"Yeah, so I've been good-"

"Staying out of trouble?"

Quinn laughed. "More so than usual." She smiled. "I've been traveling with some friends of some friends of Gwen's." Mark shifted beneath her and she knew it was at the mention of the girl who had helped her leave. "Relax," Quinn told him.

"I know, I'm just still a little annoyed…" He tightened his arms around her and she stifled a yawn. "I'll see you soon ok?" she told him.

"You're going now?"

"No. I'm going to camp here tonight and leave tomorrow morning."

"I'll stay with you then."

Quinn smiled and opened her eyes, tilting her head back to look at him. "Really?"

"Totally, I'll be like old times."

Like old times… Some days she really missed those old times. She had seen Mark and the others on three occasions since she had left in mid-January: once in May, although Caim and Alex had been in New York City; once in July for Ms. Dugan's and Mr. McCoy's wedding, and once in August when she had been stopping in Bayville with some of Gwen's friends to visit the her, Gabriel, and Noah. During her stay for the wedding Quinn had broken down upon seeing all of them including the mutants that didn't stay at the mansion like Gambit and Avalanche. That night, as her and Mark fell asleep next to each other – like old times – she had nearly asked for him to come travel with her. She didn't though, not wanting to pull him away from his life at the mansion, and had left early the next day before anyone had awoken; she had gotten in trouble for it on her next visit but she had had to leave before she asked him to follow.

"Let's set up camp and you can tell me about your adventures," Mark told her, and she laughed.

"Adventures?" she clarified.

"Or your near arrests, whatever's more exciting."

That got them both laughing and they chatted about both their lives as they unrolled their sleeping bags. As usual Mark was the star of most of his classes and he had joined Caim in dance this year. Despite all the attention from the girls his and Jake's relationship was still going strong. Quinn was reading to substitute for not going to school and she'd exchange stories and information with others that she met on her travels. She wouldn't have passed any standardized tests but she knew enough to keep her going through life. During a two day stay in Calgary, Alberta she had run into a guy and they had kept in touch through mail.

"Ooooh, 'mare's got a boyfriend!" Mark teased, and she smacked his shoulder.

"He's not my boyfriend," Quinn growled.

"So what's his name?" Mark prodded.

"Michael," she replied, worming down into her sleeping bag.

"Interesting. Tell your boyfriend that-"

"He's not my boyfriend for god's sake!"

"Whatever he is, tell him that if he does anything to hurt him I have a dagger with his name on it."

Quinn smiled. "I'll pass on the threat."

They moved their sleeping bags closer together and Mark draped an arm over her. She yawned and closed her eyes, feeling his warmth radiating through the material that separated him.

"Don't disappear on me," Mark whispered.

"I won't, I promise."

"I thought you didn't believe in promises."

She smiled. "Hey, I promised to visit and I did, didn't I?"

"That you did." He was quiet for a moment. "You know what I promise you?"

Quinn turned over in her sleeping bag to face him. "What do you promise me?"

"I promise that whenever you visit, I'll be there. I promise that whenever you need me, I'll be there. You can't get rid of me no matter what you do; I promise you."

"I'm keeping you to that." She let her eyelids close as sleepiness started tugging at her. "And I would never want to get rid of you."

"Good night Quinn."

"Good night Mark."

They fell asleep together, in the place that they had first met a year ago at a time where neither of them thought they'd find anybody. Now they had each other, and neither could fathom the idea of letting the other one go.

AN: This is the end! Thank you to all my readers and too all those that stuck by me while I wrote. Thank you Goldrusher, Yaoiboy, and StormyNightengale for your characters. I hope you all enjoyed this tale and much as I did.