Epilogue

She awoke fully aware of another presence beside her. She thought back to the night before and for once it wasn't a blur of events or fragmented pieces of what had happened between her and the man still sleeping facedown in her bed. She also found she was glad that she didn't have to dress quickly and sneak out through the front door and figure out how to get home. No, this time she was in her own room and found no urge to quietly retreat. If anything, she couldn't imagine wanting to be anywhere else for this moment.

It had been a year since he barged his way back into her life. The months after weren't easy, but somehow between more than a few drunken fights, hurtful accusations, break ups, passionate make-up sex and him crawling back to her at the guild apologizing, they had made it to a year together. It still wasn't as easy as others made it look, but in their own warped way, it worked and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Cana lay there on her stomach as well, silently admiring her sleeping lover. That's what he is? My lover? Boyfriend? She decided it would be better to think about titles later. Carefully, she looked over every exposed inch of him, mentally tracing over the rise and fall of his back muscles as he peacefully slept. The jagged lines of a few healed scars pained her as the memories from Yi Kai whispered into her head. But it was the red guild mark tattooed in the middle of his back had been replaced by Goldmine that gave her ease. Though he did look smaller than when she had first met him, he was not in the least bit a small man. His fine jet-black hair was untied and spilled down his shoulders, nearly concealing his entire face. It had grown since the first time she saw it down. That morning felt as if it happened years ago instead of a little over one. She recalled how easily his hair fell around his face as he looked down at her last night and the seductive way he grinned while he had her pinned under him as he thrust into her made her cheeks sear with heat and something stir within.

She tried to move slowly as she shifted onto her side to face him so as to not wake him. All Cana wanted was to take in this moment and absorb all the details. The way his muscular back and bare shoulders looked so relaxed under his large and replaced guildmark, the steady way he was breathed, the slowly brightening sunlight peaking through the curtains, all of it would be forever locked in her memory.

"Morning." He said into his pillow, his muffled voice was still heavily laced with sleep. She had come to love the gruff way it sounded. It mean he had slept, truly slept and deeply. It didn't surprise her that he had woken to her movements.

"Morning." She smiled, combing a few fingers through his hair to move it from hiding his face. Bacchus smiled in return, eyes still shut. He liked feeling his hair slip through her fingers and she would do it often to help calm him. After a moment he shifted, untucking his arm closest to her from under his pillow and wrapped it over her to pull her in close. Cana closed her own eyes now, and soaked in the kisses he pressed to her forehead repaying with one to his neck. They dozed off like that for an unknown amount of time when she woke to his deep voice rumbling in the ear she had against his chest.

"Hm?" She nuzzled against him when he repeated himself.

"The town is trembling and the bells are ringing. They must be heralding in a new era." He sounded amused and still half-asleep.

"Don't be stupid." She lazily trailed a finger in a circle on his chest. "The town bells only ring when-" Suddenly Cana's eyes shot open and she sat up hastily. "Shit." She rolled away from him and untangled herself from the blankets. After nearly falling from her bed, she quickly went to pull on a robe and began scrounging the floor for her clothes. "Why now? Damnit!"

"Something the matter?" Bacchus was sitting up now, propped up on an elbow. Hurriedly she picked up all his clothes and threw them directly at his face. He easily could have caught them, but for some reason decided not to, letting them hit him full on in the face. "Cana what's-"

"You have to go." She said abruptly, busy looking for her own clothes now, picking up the discarded garments on the floor. The look Bacchus gave her was a mix of confusion and suspicion. Slowly he got out of bed and began to pull his pants on tying them loosely and watching her warily.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" He stood there with his arms crossed. The shaking came to a sudden halt, signifying the town's transition was complete. She let out another curse under her breath and fastened her bra, pulling on a loose blouse, leaving it unbuttoned.

"Not now. You need to leave." She was darting from one side of her room to another frantically tidying up.

"Cana." He called to her, but she didn't answer. "Cana." He called again, more sternly. "Cana!" She was pulled from her tunnel vision when he suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling it up so as to draw her close.

"Let me go Bacchus." She gave him a dark look. He was clearly irritated with her sudden change of attitude and returned her expression. Fine, let him be mad at me for a day.

"Not until you tell me what's going on." Cana only tried once more to pull herself free, but he held tighter. He probably didn't mean to, but she could already tell there would be bruises from his grip on her.

"Bacchus. Let. Me. Go!" At that, she heard her door downstairs open and close with a small slam. Her heart skipped as she stopped her struggling, listening closely.

"Cana, honey! I'm back!" The cheery male voice called up to her. Shit! Her heart broke when she turned to look at Bacchus. The look in his eyes had become deadly. He released her wrist, pushing her back in the process.

"I see." The muscles in his temples clearly tensed as he clenched his jaw and seethed. He continued to glare at her silently as he pulled on his armor.

"No, Bacchus, you don't understand." She strained a whisper, reaching out for him. The hand she placed on his shoulder was immediately shrugged off as he turned his back to her and headed for the door. "Wait! Bacchus don't-!" Cana tried to grab at him again, but this time found she was being shoved away forcefully. Her balance was lost and she landed on her behind, hitting her back against the side of the bed with a thud. She yelped, covering her mouth immediately, but it was too late.

She could hear the rush of footsteps rapidly coming up the stairs as he called out her name. Before she could even stand, her bedroom door flung open and in it stood a frantic Gildarts. It only took a second for the worry on his face to melt into fury at the sight of her on the floor, her shirt unbuttoned and a large man standing over her, half-nude and his hair undone.

"You." His voice was quiet, like the calm before a storm. His jaw began to tremble and his exposed fist balled up.

"No, wait." Cana's voice cracked when she called out, but he didn't seem to hear her.

"Really Cana? He's even older than me." He had turned to look back at her and gestured rudely to the man in the doorway. There was a cockiness to his tone that she knew Gildarts would use to fuel his anger. And he did. His magic stress in the air rose exponentially, getting Bacchus' attention.

"YOU!" Came the bellow and the storm.

She watched in horror as all the muscles tensed in Bacchus' body and in a flash, Gildarts' closed fist came hurling at him. To her and her father's surprise Bacchus had caught the S-Class mage's powerful fist in his palm.

"Stop!" She cried as Bacchus' free hand crashed a stiffened palm into her father's chest.

"That all you have?" Gildarts quickly recovered, and laughed in the Yikani man's face. "Come at me again. Harder this time."

Bacchus was undeterred by the taunt and roared a laugh back at him.

"You make my soul shake, old man!" He charged.

They brawled back and forth, swinging and landing and missing punches, kicks and knees and elbows flew until Bacchus managed to land a series of strikes to lay Gilarts out onto the floor.

"That all you have old man?" He taunted as he stood over him.

"I'm just getting warmed up." Bacchus frowned when suddenly the cloaked man gave a menacing sneer as he swept his legs from under him and within an instant stood and crashed a knee down into his chest. The sickening crunch of bones made Cana nearly vomit then and there. The feral look on Gildarts' face as he sat up didn't help either.

"CRASH!" Gildarts yelled, magic gathering around him. He had his powerful hand balled up once again and was ready to finish the man below him when Cana finally found her words.

"PAPA STOP!" And just like that, he froze, looking at her dumbly. She took the opportunity to lunge at him then, toppling him over. Cana could hear the other man's immediate gasp for air as he rolled onto his side, coughing up small drops of blood.

"P-papa?" He wheezed out, coughing violently once more and spat.

"Cana." Gildarts' voice was calmer as he tried to sit himself up. She moved off of him and knelt beside Bacchus. Her gaze did not lift from the floor; she could feel the redness in her face burning. She never called him that to his face. The embarrassment was great enough that she felt as if she could die. Damn you both! Her eyes shut tightly as she clenched her hands. Her father's silence unnerved her. After a second, she peaked an eye open at him and she felt her entire body relax when she saw the stars in his eyes and the stupid smile plastered to his face.

"Tch." She grimaced, but couldn't help but feel completely relieved that he was no longer blindly enraged. Her attention quickly went over to Bacchus, who had found the strength to sit upright against the bed.

"Bacchus, this is my father. Gildarts, this is Bacchus." The words tumbled out of her mouth almost hesitantly while the dumb grin on the older man's lips tightened into a sterner look at the introduction.

The injured mage gave a smug grimace through clenched bloody teeth then, rubbing at his chest where it had surprisingly not caved in from the knee drop. What might have been a chuckle came out as another wheeze.

"Now I see where you get your wild side." He winced as he tried to stand. "You've got a hell of a punch there, old man." Cana helped him to stand up, letting him put an arm around her shoulders to support him.

Gildarts' attention remained on Bacchus as he also stood. Wordlessly, he extended his hand out. It surprised them, but the palm mage recovered quickly as he lifted his arm from Cana's shoulders, standing upright on his own and grabbed it. Even a blind man from down the street could see the power emanating from that handshake. They're testing each other. Cana swallowed hard watching them. After what seemed like a never-ending moment, the two men released the other's hand.

"You're not too bad yourself." Gildarts finally said. The smile shocked her, but Bacchus seemed to relax. He nodded, still smiling.

"Cana, I think you and your father have some catching up to do. I'll see myself out." Before she could protest, he continued. "I'll see you at your guild." He winked at her, gathering up his armor and left the room. The two of them waited, listening to him as he descended the stairs. When she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, she remembered to breathe.

"You didn't have to break his ribs." She complained, dropping down onto the side of her bed.

"What did you think I would do? Walking in here seeing him standing over you like that Cana?"

"I'm not a helpless little girl, Gildarts." She glared at him. His mouth shut and his lips pressed tightly together. "I can take care of myself."

"How long." He simply said. It wasn't a question. No. Gildarts was too smart for questions. He knew.

"About a year now. We were a team during a mission and…" She struggled to find the words. It's not often you have to explain your sex life to your father. "He didn't, force me if that's-" Gildarts simply put a hand up, cutting her off. He understood. Cana sighed lowering her gaze to the floor, relieved she didn't have to go further into detail.

"You're right." She snapped her head up to look at him, watching as he made his way over and sat beside her on the bed. "You're not a helpless little girl. You don't need my help."

"That's not what I meant." It was his turn to sigh, cutting her off. For some reason, she felt guilty by the way his shoulders sagged. I've done nothing wrong. She tried to convince herself.

"Gildarts." He wrapped his arms around her, reaching his human hand up to stroke her hair. She hesitated before gently leaning into him, resting her head on his shoulder. They sat there in silence briefly before he spoke.

"Cana, I'm your father." He started, looking ahead at nothing. "Even if I didn't know it for most your life, I know now and that changed something in me. I can't expect you to understand, but I can't help that I want to protect you." The tears came without her permission. She couldn't hold them back, so she let them come.

"I know." It was all she could utter between her shaking breaths.

"I know that you know." He stopped moving his hands and simply held her. "I also know that I won't be around a lot." There was guilt in his voice now as his grip tightened and trembled.

"Is he good to you?" He asked. It was a simple question, but there was much and more to it than that.

"We fight," She started, putting her hand up to stop his protest and continued when he closed his mouth. "But he is a good man."

"You're not married are you?"

"No!" She punched him in the metal side of his chest for that. He cracked a grin at her then, feeling the mood lightening.

"I'm sorry." He said, taking her back into his arms. She didn't struggle as much as she typically would have.

"I'm not to one you need to apologize to." She looked up to see the half-disgusted frown on his stubbled face.

"Not for that." He started. "Well, for that, but also for barging in here and being so rash."

"You weren't expecting it." She said, feeling the way his shoulders relaxed.

"No, I wasn't." Gildarts sighed. "But that's selfish of me." His human fingers combed through her hair as he held her head to his shoulder. "I can't just expect you to be as you always are whenever I come back."

"You're the one who goes out on year-long missions." She hid her sad smile from him. Though she never out rightly said it, she did miss him when he left and worried when he was gone extensively.

"I'm a wanderer. It's what I've always done. I'm just afraid that I'll come back and you'll be gone. Like your mother..." He trailed as he spoke with a shaking voice. "It's selfish I know, to expect that you'll always be as you are, as I left you, waiting. I've even considered asking you to join me, but that's no life I'd wish on you." He paused a moment to stay his hand on her hand and gave her a gentle squeeze. "But after what happened on the island, after that monster… I just think 'what if I didn't come back'. What if I couldn't be there for you when you really needed me? It kills me to think about what can happen to you while I'm away. But I can't help the way I am and I don't think I can leave the life I live after doing it for so long. That's something I'll have to get over on my own." Her tears were on the verge of sobs now as she tried to steady herself. "But that guy you got there put up a hell of a fight. I'm surprised he can breathe, let alone walk. He seems like a decent person." That helped to suppress her crying some. "I'd like to think that, at least when I'm away, there's someone to watch over you." He started to stroke her hair again.

"Papa." She managed, as they held tight to each other. The sobs came anyway and her heart swelled with love and pride.

"Cana, I can't expect you to always be the same when I come back. But I promise you I always will."

"You'd better." She added, burying her face into his cloak.

"I will. And you better be fully dressed when I do." They both laughed, the tears falling down their faces.

After her breathing returned to a more controllable rhythm, he released her and they looked at each other. His face was also stained with tears and they smiled, chuckling at the sight of one another. There was silence and calm between them until a shaking crash came from downstairs. Cana was the first to leap to her feet and ran out of the room to the hall and down the steps. Qi Peng. No, it can't be. Her heart had lodged itself in her throat. And then she saw him, slouched over with an arm crossed over his chest, kneeling on the floor and panting. He had an arm extended out with his hand straight up and palm facing the now decimated wall before him.

"BACCHUS!" She ran to him, placing a hand on his back and outstretched arm. "Are you alright? What happened?" Her heart pounded in her ears and froze when she saw the stupid grin on his face.

"You were right all along." He wheezed between his clenched teeth. "It really does open up the room so much more." Cana swatted his head and swore at him, though her lips couldn't keep from curling upward into a smile.

"You idiot." She laughed with him, rubbing the spot where she'd struck him. What happened after that, she would keep to herself, but there in the other room, sitting on the bookshelf right in front of them was the small globe her mother had given her before she died. She thumbed away a tear and smiled at Gildarts as he came down to inspect what all the commotion was about. It really is all complete, isn't it?

A/N: Here it is guys. After months of writing, editing and a few missed dates, the end has come!

It has been a hell of a journey and I couldn't feel more elated to have seen this through to the end.

Thank you all for your reviews, favorites, views and patience! I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it.

I will be going back through the chapters to do some editing (mostly grammar, spelling and correcting a few hiccups here and there), but all in all, it will keep this same structure.

I have many more ideas that I have been putting on the back burner for a while now, so look for more updates from me in the future!

Once again, thank you all for your support and as always,

Until next time,

Betty B.