A/N: This does have a happy ending. I usually am more careful with my notes at the beginning of the chapters, and somehow I missed yesterday's, and for that, I do apologize. (I did go back and correct it for future readers) Thanks for sticking with this. :)

Epilogue

The tv droned on, once more showing Rick the images of destruction he caused while killing Kate. It had been months ago, but with the trial coming to a close and his sentence being handed, it was a cycle all over again.

If he'd only known...

He leaned forward with his head in his hands, still not sure how he missed it - her voice, mannerisms - something should have told him Kate and HeatWave were the same person.

A tap on the bars and the turning of the lock caught his attention.

"You have a visitor," said the guard as he opened the cell door. There were several others, all with their guns pointed at him as he stood and took a step forward. They all knew he could easily escape, if he wanted to, but that was the thing - he didn't want to. There was nothing in the real world left for him.

He certainly didn't expect anyone to come by. It was probably another reporter wanting to know his story.

"Tell them to drop in another day. I don't want to see anyone."

The guard shook his head and grabbed him by the arm. "She told me you'd say that, and said that she has coffee."

Rick got to his feet, his heart not sure if it wanted to skip around or stop beating as the guard pulled him down the long hallway. Finally, they turned and he was pushed into some sort of conference room.

It definitely wasn't what he expected.

"Your girl must have some friends in high places to be able to work out this arrangement. Have a seat and she'll be in here in a minute." He started out the door, then added, "We're all outside, so don't get any ideas."

"Understood," he answered, then sat down.

The room was quiet, giving him time to think who could be here. In a few minutes, he heard the doorknob turn.

He blinked when she entered the room, so lovely, so alive, coffee in hand. She stepped in front of him wearing a business suit and her long hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

Rick started to reach for her, but stopped, caught between amazement and the fact that his hands were still in shackles.

"Here," she smiled as she set the travel mug on the table, and he was sure she'd never looked more beautiful. "Let me take care of those."

Kate put her hand over the metal bracelets and the shackles clattered to the ground. He barely registered the new power as he gathered her in his arms, not even trying to hold back the tears.

"I thought you were dead. I thought I killed you... it's been everywhere for months..."

"On paper, Kate Beckett is dead, and as a result, I came into a... different, better, calling," she answered, totally not making any sense, but he didn't care. "And it's why I am here."

Rick let her go gently and stepped back. "I don't understand."

She wiped away her tears and took in a deep breath. "There are more people like us, Rick, more than I ever imagined. Our prolonged altercation brought several of them forward and they - we've - formed a group. It's sort of a society formed to help and protect others." Kate curled a stray strand of hair over her ear, "And we've come into a situation."

Kate went quiet, then looked around the room, like she wasn't sure where to start, and it made his curiosity peak. "Okay, what kind of situation, and what does it have to do with me?"

"There is a powerful guy - one of the most powerful and dangerous guys out there we know of- who is starting a bit of trouble." She smiled again, and took his hand, "and what it has to do with you, is that this organization knows of your talents. If you agree to be my partner and help us contain him, you can go free."

She paused, then asked, "You do still have powers, right?"

"Yeah, I do, but us? Partners?" He thought about it for a moment. It was every boy's dream to be a superhero, and it looked like he was being given a second chance in life, and with Kate. "I think I would like that."

He smiled, not knowing where to start, but had to ask something. There were so many questions, so he decided on what was most important right now. "What's this guy's name? And for that matter, what should I call you?"

Kate squeezed his hand before letting it go. "He calls himself The Dragon, and he's got a crime list that goes back years, but we'll go over all that later." As she walked toward the door, he was right on her heels. "And since I don't exist anymore, you can call me by whatever name you wish. Mostly, I go by HeatWave."

"You'll always be my Kate," he said, unable to stop the words from leaving his mouth.

"Okay," she smiled as they left the conference room and filed the paperwork for his release.

As they walked through the doors and into the brightness of the sunlight, her eyes were full of mischief. "So... you remember how to fly?"

"I bet it'll come back to me," Rick answered, and was barely a second behind Kate as she took flight.