Storybook Endings

Mark looks with a solemn expression as he watches his daughter, Vicky, cheerfully talking with another girl in the same school she went to. Mostly because he was both happy and sad with her daughter after all the restrictions placed on her due to the incident regarding the person, she crippled for life weeks ago. This inevitably destroyed most of her reputation with some people and it garnered a sense of fear from her classmates and schoolmates alike. Even the aura of some of the Wards had this similar sheen and nothing was ever the same since.

Of course, she did bounce back in some way or form. It was not as bad when that matter was still fresh, but the damage was already done and Vicky for the most part, if it was not her family, was alone. Her daughter was much more happy compared to the days when the issue with Amy was still painful to all of them but her life was never the same after that and while she was adapting and learning from those issues, Mark also acknowledged that trying to fit in again took its toll, and it also took time before some semblance of normalcy that was the same as before could blossom out of the darkness.

Part of him was proud of course when he saw her reconnect with some people in her age group again. That was why seeing her with this new girl made him happy at least, more so that they actually bonded fairly quickly based on how much he heard both his daughters talk about it at home.

Seeing her be normal again in some capacity outside of her renewed sense of importance for Amy was a brightening light in the unsure waters his own family was treading on. His presence of course was attributed to a presentation that had most parents come to the school and while he thought he was not fairly popular compared to the rest of the heroes in the bay, he was surprised that a good degree of both students and parents came to him earlier that day.

Probably because of his part in taking down Lung the other night. It was mostly Vicky's and Armsmaster's effort, but he was there after all, and his very long extended hiatus of not being in the public scene was noteworthy in some sense to the resurgence of interest regarding him. He did not mind it of course, but his goal for today was mostly to chaperone his daughter and thankfully nothing interesting happened for the rest of his stay.

"Penny for your thoughts?" a voice said, taking him out of his thoughts as he looked beside him.

It was a woman, dark curly hair, some strands bordering on brown looking at him with a kind, gentle face. Upon her eyes were a set of glasses and her smile was quite notable for how simple yet elegant it looked. The woman wore a simple brown coat over a beige-green dress and…

…Mark instantly noticed that she was sitting in a wheelchair.

A faint memory of Amy smiling at him came into his mind.

"Oh… I'm sorry if I intruded in some way." The woman said as Mark perked up.

"No… not at all, I was just-

"Yeah, that's the first thing everybody notices about me. Well, that and the fact that I wear glasses. My husband says I look like an Owl sometimes." She says the latter part mostly to herself as the woman chuckles lightly and looks at him.

He smiles too as he thinks about it. "I can see what he means…" he then looks at the girl Vicky was talking to and back to the woman beside him. "Pardon me, but are you-

"Call me Annette." She offered with her hand as Mark took it. "I'm quite surprised that you're here actually, I would reckon it would be your wife given we talked when she came here last time."

Mark then started to think if his wife mentioned anything about this woman, Annette, but he was quickly plagued with the issue regarding their relationship at that moment.

"Oh, did Carol not mention me? nor about Taylor? I thought she would since we kinda became friends the moment we met." Annette said as she tilted her head at him in question.

Mark started to scratch the back of his head in shame as he smiled in embarrassment. "We uh… we're having a little thing between us, I'd… I'd rather not talk about it for now."

"Oh… oh, I didn't mean to pry, I'm sorry I came off that way." The woman quickly said until Mark raised his hand.

"No, it's fine. I just didn't expect to meet Vicky's friend and her mom today." He said with a grin at the woman. "But… thank you, really for your daughter. Vicky's been through a lot lately and she really needed a friend."

The woman smiled at him. "You're welcome. I guess I have to thank you as well too."

"For what?" he asked, genuinely curious given the shift in her tone down the end.

Annette then turned to where Vicky and Taylor were laughing together on the school grounds.

"Taylor's had a rough going lately. Mostly because she blames herself for… well, this…" she gestured to her legs as Mark quickly understood the insinuation. "… but also because her original best friend, practically her birth sister, had a particularly violent falling out with her."

Based on her tone, Mark quickly felt the discomfort ebbing in her words.

"We had to make her change schools because of it, but even then, it wasn't the same."

"That's… I'm sorry to hear that." He said as the woman smiled at him.

"Your wife was very kind to us you know? She even helped us set the whole transfer up after Vicky showed my daughter the rest of the school. We owe her quite a bit after that, so… thank you. It wouldn't have been possible without you or your family."

Mark, completely taken aback by Annette's words mustered a smile.

"Vicky's such a lovely soul. She even came to our house the other day… I missed hearing Taylor's laugh, especially after everything that's happened." Annette then snickered, "She wouldn't stop talking about her sister too. How much she would have loved to have her meet Taylor."

"Amy would love that. She's been cooped up in the house all this time. Making her have friends again would be appreciated." He said as he thought about it. His poor Amy for the most part was still adjusting and being there for her was his priority.

"I do hope she recovers…" she said with a smile as they watched Vicky and Taylor laugh over something together. "… Lord knows everybody needs it."

"Yeah." He said, his voice fading a bit as he thought about his family.

Both his daughters…

…and Carol specifically.

"Can I ask you something?" he said as Annette looked at him.

"Yes?"

"How do you deal with all of the stress? All of the problems stacking themselves on top of each other?" he said politely as he watched Annette relax a bit in her chair.

"That's funny." She said as they both looked back at their daughters who were excitedly waving at them. Vicky in particular in this case, while the meeker Taylor could only wave behind her book.

"What is?" he asked.

"That's almost exactly the same thing Carol asked me about the last time we met." Annette then smiled at him. "… and I'm going to tell you the same thing I told her."

She leaned closer to him and smiled genuinely, her spectacles giving way to her rather beautiful face. "… Trust in your family. You don't need to shoulder the burden by yourself, because at the end of the day, you have people you love that you go back to. The more you tackle it together, the more it feels that you've accomplished something good, something meaningful. You don't need to be a singular pillar holding the weight of the world on your shoulders, because together you can endure."

Annette then chuckled to herself as she looked at him. "At least that's my perspective on things. It's worked so far, and I'm happy I'm actually still here with them. I don't know what could have happened if I had left my little girl alone in the world to fend for herself." She said with a hint of sadness in her voice as Mark started imagining the rift that existed between his family before Amy's accident…

And the current rift that was there with his and Carol's relationship.

He was still uncomfortable of course as he stewed on those thoughts, but he knew in some way that the issue would not be resolved if they continuously avoided each other up to now.

He once more looked at Vicky with how happy she was, and with Amy's happiness as well…

Mark loved his family. He loved his daughters, especially now renewed with the same light that made him believe again.

"…"

But Mark also loved Carol. Their many memories with each other.

Flaws and all…

But given everything that's happened, he was not sure why it was so hard to sit down with her and talk about their current problems, together.

Perhaps he was still not as clear-headed as he thought he was after Amy pulled him back.

Perhaps, like Carol, he too was still running away from the past.

It bothered him deep inside, that he was still a coward, through and through.

He actually loved talking with the Hebert family, alongside Annette's husband, Danny after he dropped Vicky at their house for an impromptu sleepover. Vicky was hesitant at first when she called Amy, but her sister insisted (at least Mark thought of it that way) for her to continue on. It was only one night after all, and both seemed enthused by the idea of this little change in the plan. He accepted of course as the two new friends celebrated for a bit. Annette invited him over for dinner after talking with them for a bit, but he told them that he needed to get home.

He appreciated the generosity and kindness of the Hebert couple, even if their home was just very simple in contrast to his. He was actually looking forward to talking to them again, but he needed some space after all the thinking he just had.

After saying goodbye to Vicky, he rode his car back home as he thought about his family. His marriage. The abundance of things that were circling his thoughts as he moved the car into the driveway.

The moment he turned off the engine with the twist of his key, he found the silence of the car almost daunting as so many feelings began churning in his chest. It grew heavy like he was back to the state of his former being before. Basically, a prisoner trapped in his own sorrow and… uselessness.

He tried pushing them away. He did not want this. Both his daughters still needed him.

He did not want to regress back to the man who had no hope lingering in his heart.

But… it was just so hard.

He was a broken man, pulled together by the light of his life, his family. Vicky, Amy… Carol.

He didn't want to sink back to the same dull prose that overtook the majority of his head. He wanted to be strong again. He wanted to be the man that was always there. To be the enduring rock that would shield his family.

How? How could that be done when in the face of another problem, one that he too had been running away from for a long, long time, he was now thinking of scurrying back to his hole?

It was grueling. Sitting there, his hands shaking as the pressure in both his head and chest was starting to reach its breaking point. Yet…

Even as those dark thoughts evaded him, memories of Vicky's laugh earlier made his heart slow down. A small, solemn smile formed on his face. Memories of Amy and himself enjoying their time together, talking, discussing the many shows and movies they watched on the sofa.

…and memories of the days when Carol used to laugh, when she used to freely smile when nothing was ever as painful as everything that happened after.

It dawned on him quickly that both their daughters had reached a point in their lives where they were starting to grow away from all the baggage of the past.

He and Carol, however?

They were still stuck in limbo. A never-ending state of denial, excuses, and… the unwillingness to try. To try and climb out of the hole they dug for themselves.

It dawned on him that his daughter, his Amy merely pulled him up… and it was his job to take the next step. A next step that he was still stupidly unkeen on taking.

Did that say a lot about himself?

"…damn it."

With a heavy sigh, he tried to wipe his eyes and face. He even tried to lightly smack both his cheeks as the unsaid voices in his chest manifested through these small actions and gestures. Even the mere squeeze of his hands over the steering wheel just made him want to scream and let it all out.

But even that was something he was holding back on…

Eventually, he reared his head back and closed his eyes. Praying, perhaps even begging mostly to himself to keep it all together.

The outcome was not what he desired, but he reckoned that calming himself was enough. He roughly got out of the car as fast as he could. Wishing to shed some of that negativity out of his system before he would face Amy or Carol. He didn't want to make a scene like what happened on Amy's birthday. He didn't want to see her like that anymore.

It was a fact that brought forth an inexplicable amount of guilt in his senses, because Amy probably saw everything that happened, and he was partly to blame for it.

Amy's happiness was something he did not want to lose. Both his daughter's happiness was something that he was not keen on ruining. He didn't care how much it would take…

He wouldn't dare cross that line anymore.

Hopefully, his frustrations were not as looming or obvious to the admittedly innocent soul that Amy possessed. Hopefully, none of his pain was shared with his beloved daughter.

Hopefully, he ca-

"You're here!" he heard Amy cheer as she opened the door before he could even touch the knob. She had a lovely smile on her face. The twinkling and bright nature of her presence already made his soul soothe and heal in some way just by staring at her. "You were quite early than expected b-but I managed to make it in time, you just have to follow what I say." She said innocently, Mark was not even paying attention because of how happy he was to see his daughter again until she took his hand.

"Come! I must get you prepared, I don't want to waste more time." She said excitedly as she led him around while she wheeled herself inside the house but before he could step further, he quickly noticed that the living room was, decorated in some fashion. No, it was not elaborate, nor as fancy as Amy's birthday party, but there was a distinct air with all the candles lit and the slight hum of music from their player that made him feel nostalgic.

Memories of an old life came back to him as he looked confusedly at his daughter.

"Amy? W-What is this?" he asked, curiously.

"It's for a surprise! A-And you will be late if you don't make haste." She said with a grin as Amy let go of his hand and wheeled herself towards the nearest door where a suit and tie were hung. His suit and tie, one piece yet again made him feel nostalgic. She took it off the hinge and gave it to him as Mark looked at her.

"Quickly! You will be underdressed if you don't change." She pushed as he smiled.

"All right… all right." He told her as he pushed him into the closest room to change. Before he could close the door, however, he looked back at his daughter.

"Well? Why are you standing there? We don't want for the surprise to wait, you know?"

"Can I ask what the occasion is?" he said as she grinned with a smug smile on her face. Even then, it came off as a cute attempt as even her most prideful expression was filled with such a degree of innocence and grace that it made his heartbeat in joy.

"NOPE!" she said as she closed the door, leaving the room to himself as he shook his head and began wearing the clothes Amy gave him. A minute later, he stood in front of a mirror, fixing the tie and the creases in his clothes as he looked at himself.

He even fixed a bit of his hair and tried to smile.

It lasted until he looked beside where a candle was placed and saw a smaller framed photo of his and Carol's wedding. The tux that he wore was the same one in the picture as he was quickly overwhelmed with emotions.

He even reached for the photo, his fingers lightly brushing against the photo as the immortalized smiles on both their faces were ever-present. How a memory from a former life made this the happiest moment of his life, next to Vicky's birth.

Their vibrant smiles made him pause, due to how different it was now.

Mark continued to contemplate those memories until he heard a knock on the door.

"Hello, are you finished yet?" Amy's sweet, muffled voice said.

It took him out of his thoughts as he placed the picture frame back and opened the door.

"How do I look?" he asked as Amy clapped her hands in excitement.

"It's perfect! I saw the photo before, but I didn't expect to see how good it would look up close."

He laughed, blushing a bit himself because of his daughter's praise. "You flatter your dad a little too much Amy. I'm older than I was you know?"

"Nonsense! You look perfect still now and I know for a fact that this night will be one you will not forget." She stated as he pulled his hand once again. He giggled again at her antics until they stopped at the base of their stairs. The moment they did, Mark noticed that flowers were wrapped up on the railings of their stairs and a sweet fragrant smell that he was very familiar with was in the air.

Amy then pulled out the remote for the player in the living room as she pushed a button.

The song changed, a song that brought back memories of his past as he nearly froze.

"Amy… w-what is this?" he asked.

She merely smiled at him as Amy turned to the stairs. "It's time!" she shouted innocently with glee as the crescendo of the song slowly crawled while Mark's eyes widened as he saw what was at the top of the stairs.

It was Carol.

Coupled with the song, the atmosphere, and his wife's meek smile…

He was simply stunned.

"Come greet the prince, Mother," Amy said with a giggle as Carol and Mark exchanged glances.

She stood there, beautiful as ever. Like an angel that stepped into his life as the brightness of the lights behind her almost glistened. Carol was lightly blushing at him, almost wishing to look away, as her cream-colored beige dress made her shine in his eyes. Her hair, which was short for most of the years leading to Amy's accident, was no longer seen. A beautiful, yet intricate braid made up her hair which was stylized into a royal-like bun behind her. Two locks of her hair made up the sides of her face as those locks, which reached further down below her bosom framed her beautiful face in a serene fashion.

Mark could not help but gawk, because she was wearing the dress of the night where he first proposed to her. She was beautiful then, but she was far more beautiful now and he was…

Left in a stasis.

As happy as he was to relive those memories, there was a plethora of unclear emotions both in his heart and in his head.

He could not help but feel that Carol felt the same…

Yet they could only stand there while Amy's joyful words of encouragement filled the void.

"I know it's not a lot, but Aunt Sarah and Mother have taught me to cook all of this and I-I'm quite proud of their result!" Amy said between them as the beautiful setup of a candlelit dinner was before him and Carol. They both smiled at Amy as she blushed rapidly by looking away as she embarrassingly sat there. "B-But mother had to touch up some of it. Some of them had no flavor…" she admitted as Carol giggled.

Another thing that made him stare at his wife. It was a while since she had ever giggled in a free, happy manner. The sheen, the mask that she wore day by day was no longer there. Mark was unsure of how to feel about it.

"B-But I do hope you like it. It's the best I can do to show you my love." Amy said with a smile as she wheeled to Carol, putting her in an embrace which made him pause before Amy went to him a moment later. "My mother and father… I wish… I wish that the kindness and love you have shown me makes this family last forever."

"That would be wonderful, Amy," Carol said. Mark once again stared at his wife.

"Do enjoy your night, because I must prepare for my final surprise," Amy said as she giggled pleasantly before wheeling away. She turned to them one last time and gave them a sweet, loving smile of hope.

Mark wished he could do the same.

Because as soon as they were left to their own selves, the table was quiet.

The atmosphere was awkward.

Even with the memories, the nostalgia, and the joy of affirmation from their daughter. Both adults could only stare at their food until Carol spoke up.

"Amy almost burned the chicken you know… she only needed to wait and watch it while it fried but it was funny when she panicked after thinking that making the stove go at full blast would cook it quicker." Carol giggled as Mark stared, a small smile coming into his face before fading away.

"I think it's delicious. She did the recipe herself… but-

CLANG!

Mark could not handle the silence. The sound of his fork clanking after he dropped it back down on the table made his already frustrated self, be one to be wary of in Carol's eyes. He wanted to stop.

He really wanted to because Amy was just a room away…

And… he didn't want to escalate this as much as he could…

But he just couldn't. He just couldn't take it.

Conflicting emotions invaded his mind as he loosened the tie around his neck.

"M-Mark?"

Mark looked at her. Her eyes already turning red and he could feel his own beginning to water.

"I…" he did not know what to say. His lips twitched, any word coming out of his mouth quivering as he felt his hands shake once more. His spoon came down onto the table with a resounding CLANKas he started to cover his face.

"I… I can't do this yet. I'm sorry… I didn't-

Mark stopped when he saw Carol's eyes shed a tear.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, the volume enough for him to hear as Mark looked at her.

"I…" he felt his instincts scream at him. For him to go to his wife's side, comfort her as she was now slowly turning to cry in front of him, but…

But he just froze.

His mind felt like it was locked away as he stood up while Carol sobbed quietly and he slowly started walking away as guilt wracked his mind.

He was… he was running away again…

But before he could even set foot to leave the house through the living room, he heard Amy's voice break his concentration.

"D-Did something happen?" Amy asked. Her eyes were wide open with confusion, bubbling sadness, and… shock as Mark quickly went to her. A gift-wrapped box was in her lap as Amy looked at him.

"I'm sorry Amy… I… just… I don't know if…"

Amy's gift box fell to the ground as she took his hands.

"Please… g-give her a second chance? I don't think Mother meant it. Just please… I just wanted you both to get along… to be happy again, I don't want to see you both this way." She started begging as her eyes started to tear up as Mark stared.

Guilt tore his heart open as Amy begged.

"Amy… it's not about you, your M-mom and I… we're…-

"Please… I don't want to see you all unhappy… I… I can't take it." Amy begged as she was now softly crying. Mark could do nothing but take her into his arms for a tight embrace as he opened his eyes and saw that the gift-wrapped box contained a set of hastily knitted stuffed toys that resembled their family. Smiles and hearts altogether all within the box as Mark closed his eyes.

He broke Amy's smile.

Because he was too cowardly to face his past.

Mark was quietly fixing everything downstairs.

Carol did not blame him. He felt horribly responsible for Amy crying that hard up until now. The poor girl had already slept in her room as the gloomy nature of the household was felt intensely.

She too was crying silently, knowing that all of this was predominantly her fault as she tugged on the empty space of their bed before her. Her tears stained the pillows as she felt horribly guilty for how this night turned out. For how it affected Mark.

For how it affected Amy.

She hated it.

She wished to be rid of this and wished for things to be happy again but… how? How could that work? How would that-

Knock. Knock. Knock.

A soft series of weak knocks took her out of her trance as she sat up from her bed. She was unsure of who it was given, well…

But she didn't want to come off as someone who would ruin the night further, so she stood up despite her disheveled, teary state and opened the door. Only to see Amy there.

Amy was not holding any stuffed toy. She was not even looking at her as the poor girl was crying. Tears trickled down her face as Carol knelt in front of her and touched her hand.

"Is… is it my fault?" she asked.

"N-No… Amy… this isn't your fault." Carol quickly said as she placed a hand on Amy's head and stroked her hair softly. "Your dad and I just… just have issues." She admitted as Amy met eyes with her.

"I… I-I don't want him to leave. I… I don't want to be the reason this family is-

"Shh… shhhhh…" she shushed him as Carol found the strength to pull her into his arms, carrying her that Amy was resting her head on her as her tears stained her shoulder. Carol delicately and lovingly held her in her arms as Amy sobbed.

"Nothing's going to happen… alright? N-Nothing's going to happen Amy…"

"B-But…"

"I promise you… I promise you… nothing will happen." Carol said adamantly, even if she was unsure as Carol carried them to the bed. She placed her onto the mattress as Amy closed her eyes and clung to her as they lay against each other, tightly in each other's arms.

Carol weakly kissed the top of Amy's head as her sobs softened.

She clung to her, finally taking her in as her daughter as she pulled the covers over them.

Hoping that everything will be alright come morning.

Hoping that Amy's dream was not broken.

Miss Militia watched the awakened, injured girl on the bed as she continued to tear up.

Even if she was a villain, she could not help but lament and feel sad for her as she reached out with her hand and squeezed the poor girl's trembling hands.

"You're going to be okay," she said softly.

The girl turned her eyes at her. The horror of the severe burns on her face made her heart beat in pain as the girl's tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I… I w-want to be free." She said ominously as Miss Militia's thoughts quickly made her assume that the girl wished to take her own life.

But she was horribly misinformed with that guess.

For that very small sentence contained so much meaning that it may as well have been a warning.

AN: Oh boy, I had to hold back A LOT with the Annette and Taylor reveal, because if I said anything else it would have spoiled a great deal of things down the line hahahhaahahah. I did hint in some way, but it's hidden in a manner that I don't think would be that noticeable. But who knows?

Anyhow, yes, the title of this chapter is an ironic statement. Because this was no storybook ending and I do apologize if I made a few tears, because while this story is mostly positive, I will not blatantly make it work for Castamy's way all the time. She will never learn from anything if its all positive. She will not garner a journey worth taking without any setbacks…

And this, well, it's one of many, and while the next chapter is a good return again to positivity, this will leave something down the line. For every moment to become triumphant, bright, and hopeful, I had to establish a degree that would make her journey emotionally satisfying…

Yes, she will have a happy ending with this fic, I can confirm that totally, but getting to that ending will be a journey that she will need to tread with all the corresponding challenges attached to it.